Pokemon: The Plasma Saga: Revelations
by TrainerNaps
Summary: Book 3 of the Plasma Saga. Will and Co. continue on their campaign to collect all 8 Hoenn Gym Badges...as well as take down several criminal organizations, as ordered by Team Plasma, of course. On the way, Will will discover ancient secrets, buried by his ancestors and covered up by Team Plasma. Also on a quest for the truth are Neo an Genesis, who's search will lead them to Will
1. Chapter 1: Crossing Barrier

I gazed over the vast blue ocean. As you should know by now, I love water. It calms me, whether I'm sitting in or, smelling it, drinking it, or just looking at it. Like most other things, my worries just flow away with water.

If you didn't know any of that stuff by now, what are you, stupid? Nah, I'm just joking. Or maybe I'm insane. I'm talking like there's someone in my head. Which, I hope is no longer the case…

In fact, if there are any new spirits or whatever in my brain, speak up…okay, good. But, anyway, monologue.

A while back I had a run-in with a bunch of jerklords called Team Plasma. Long story short, I died and was brought back to life with some sciency stuff called Cryo. So if I ever do something that you'd deem "inhuman," don't say that. It's pretty racist. Because technically, I ain't human anymore.

I'm supposed to have some sort of advanced genetic trait because of the surgery. Like Shear can heal really fast, Morpheus can change his cells…stuff like that. Except it seems that the dead seem to want to hang out with me more after I considered joining their club back on Cinnabar Island. Not really considered, I mean, I died.

I finally managed to get that witch Aria out of my head (literally, not in the "I don't remember her anymore" way.) Once you have another person literally inside of you…you never forget.

And if you're laughing after that last sentence, grow up. Hehehehe…

Ahem, so, I'm pretty much good now. Anyway, my names' William H. Grey. You can call me pretty much whatever, I don't mind. Bill, William, it doesn't make a difference. Just don't call me Willie or Alpha. Willie, well, it sounds stupid. And Alpha…that's kind of my nickname from the bad guys.

See, apparently-

"BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" The foghorn of the ship went off.

Apparently, to Team Plasma-

"BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

ApparentlyIm-

"BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

"Do you mind!?" I called up at the cabin.

"Sorry!" cried a sailor. "It's just really foggy out!" I sighed and turned back to the ocean.

Apparently, I'm important to Team Plasma's plan or whatever. See, was that so hard, universe? Maybe next time I'll actually get to kiss Juno…

On my journey so far, I've met all kinds of friends (and enemies. As well as…frenemies I guess). I've met a connaisseuse (which is basically a person who gets to stay all the fancy stuff they want about you and get paid for it. Please don't tell Burgundy I said that). I've met a field researcher, a Ranger, a biker lord, a witch-child, another Ranger, a reporter, some more Rangers…

Rangers seem to really like me. Not actually like me as a person, I found that out when Juno and I went out for the night with some of her Ranger buddies…turns out they don't really like Trainers that much. What I meant was they like to mess with my life (please don't tell Skye or Juno I said that). Nah, but seriously, my life would be at least ten times easier if Rangers just left me the heck alone. But once again seriously, don't tell my girlfriend I said that. Last time she caught me saying something like that, she made me…make it up to her. You know what she made me do, I've been forced to do it before.

On the subject of Juno, we were kinda going steady for a while…and, recently, we pretty much made it official. Yep, that's right, I finally have a girlfriend. Caitlin, if you're somehow reading my mind right now, suck it!

We still haven't kissed yet, though. The universe seems to not want that to happen. Last time we tried, we had just gotten out of the movie theater in Goldenrod City and were standing at the curb. A bus drove through a puddle, and we got soaked. One of these days though, I'm gonna kiss her…and the forces of nature won't be the wiser!

I looked back at the vast ocean. It was deep, and blue. Just like mine and Juno's eyes. Maybe that's why the ocean is so pretty to me. Maybe irises are more attracted to things of similar color. You know what, I wanna look that up. Or I could just ask Skye if she finds molten lava aesthetically pleasing.

For so long, the sea remained as a barrier, separating the human race, and many species of Pokémon, from each other. Allowing them to grow, become different. Unique even to their habitat. Maybe that was a good thing, allowing for difference. Or maybe not, since us humans are constantly at each other's throats. Sorry, _you _humans. I don't count anymore.

And now, for the first time on my journey, I was crossing that barrier. Preparing to see new things, far different than my homeland of Kanto, and its neighboring sister-state Johto.

Hoenn was a southern region. I expected it to be a bit more humid, and the Pokémon I'd find here would certainly be different. And, I'm sure Team Plasma has some amazing task for me to complete…

Since we were headed south, I packed a pair of shorts with me, as well as less long sleeve shirts. I still wore my Silph Co. jacket, as it was light and served me well in both chilly weather and warm weather. And, of course, my Black City Blastoises baseball cap.

And speaking of Blastoises, this time around, I left my buddy and first Pokémon, Shellshocker, behind on this one. He was getting way strong; Hoenn wouldn't be a challenge with him around. I wanted to start fresh on this one.

I looked to my left as my best friend, Wesley Oak, leaned on the rail next to me. At the moment, he was my only companion on the voyage. My usual entourage was made up of him and Burgundy, but she was in Unova at the moment, getting her connaisseuse license back, after she lost it and had to find a "competent Trainer" to sign a form saying she was fit to get it back. And wouldn't you know it, that poor sucker was me.

Just kidding about the sucker thing. Burgundy's a great person once you get to know her. Still working on getting to know her…

Kidding, again!

"We're almost there," said Wes, leaning over the railing to try to peer deeper into the thicket of fog. "Just a little longer and…look!"

In the distance, I saw a small strip of green slowly becoming visible through the cover of fog. I smiled. We had finally reached Hoenn.

I turned and stretched. "Alright, get your stuff and get ready to go. Since Burgundy isn't here yet, we won't have to wait an extra half hour after we dock for her to be ready."

Wes laughed and began walking back. "Yeah, that's true. See ya in a few."

I looked up as a flock of small white bird Pokémon with long wings flew by. I didn't bother trying to use my Pokédex yet; it still hasn't been updated. My loud-mouthed pocket device was currently in my backpack, the volume on it all the way down. Ever since he reactivated in Johto, he's been kind of a jerk. Still haven't figured out why…

I packed up my stuff as the foghorn sounded once more. I was about to set foot on Hoenn for the first time ever.

…

Wes and I walked down the gangplank, me going slow, savoring every step. As I touched the ground, I said, "That's one small step for me, one giant leap for…ah, whatever lets go."

I resumed a normal pace. We walked through the small port near Oldale Town. We planned on staying the night there, and then moving on to Professor Birch's lab in Littleroot Town.

"So," said Wes, in a conniving tone. "What were you and Juno doing on that last night before we left Johto? You were out pretty late…" I gave him the look, and he started making kissy faces. I laughed and continued forward.

"I will admit, we were trying. The universe doesn't seem to make it easy on us…"

"Do tell."

"Well, first off, the universe doesn't mind of we do anything else!" I said, my emotion flowing into my tone of voice and hand motions. Wes chuckled; it must seem to him that I'm obsessed with defeating the odds and kissing my girlfriend. And trust me, if he knew all of the evidence, he'd be just as interested in getting to see it finally happen.

"It doesn't care of we hug, or just plain get close, or anything else. So we tried to fake it out."

"You tried to fake out the cosmos?"

"We're getting desperate, Wes," I said, my voice cracking. I cleared my throat. "Anyway, yeah, we tried tricking the universe. So, first, we tried just hugging, my face pressed up against hers…"

"Uh-huh…"

"And then we quickly snapped right to kiss position and-"I clapped my hands. "Sudden gust of wind, Juno gets hit in the face with a newspaper, falls to the ground."

Wes laughed. I looked at him funny, and he straightened up. "Ahem, sorry. Continue?"

"Okay, so next we just tried nuzzling noses in the park." Wes laughed again.

"What!?"

"Were you trying to hide from the universe?" I scratched the back of my head.

"Maybe…well, we almost forgot our mission, because she's just so cute when she smiles…" I trailed off for a minute, and then shook myself back to reality. "And then we tried to get it and…Juno gets hit in the back of the head with a basketball, we knock foreheads."

"Is that how you got that?" Wes pointed to the bump on my forehead, which was still pretty big, but was fading. I sighed.

"Yeah. So, we just spent the rest of the night holding hands, and using our free hands to support the ice pack."

"She sure is something else, isn't she?"

I sighed once more, a vivid image of her face coming to mind. "Yeah, but she's my 'something else.' I can't wait to-"I stopped and turned suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Wes.

"Nothing I…I just had the feeling I was being watched."

"Watched by what?"

"That's what I was hoping to find out! Now come one, I wanna get to Oldale before nightfall."

…

"Hating Hoenn so far," I said grumpily as the rain poured down. Night had fallen over an hour ago, and I still thought we were pretty far away.

"Aw, come on," said Wes optimistically. "Skye said she loves Hoenn!"

"I highly doubt Skye is standing in the pouring rain right now!"

…

"WHY IS IT STILL RAINING!?" shouted Skye as the rain poured down.

…

"See, look, there's town." Wes pointed ahead, and saw the familiar red lighted roof of the Pokémon Center.

"Ugh, it's about time!" I said as I trudged forward.

…

I shook myself off like a wet Growlithe when we entered the Pokémon Center. I was relieved to see that all Pokémon Centers had a universal design; my friends and I could still sit in our favorite circle of couches.

"Alright, I'll go check us in," said Wes, hanging his jacket on a rack. "You go stake out some food."

I nodded and went off in search of dinner. I looked at a town map to see if there was anywhere local we could go, when I got the same feeling that I had at the dock; that someone was watching. I turned again. No one. I turned to my map and jumped back in surprise.

In the narrow space between me and the map stood a girl. She looked familiar. She beamed and waved.

"Hi-i-i-i there!" she said dreamily.

"Uh…do I know you?"

"Of course you do, silly!" she pinched my cheek. I slapped her hand away.

"I'm Addison. I was at your birthday party a few weeks ago!"

"Oh, yeah…you're, uh, you're Rita's sister, right?"

She nodded. "We really like you."

"Oh, well, I'm glad you're a fan of my work…"

She shook her head. She moved closer and grabbed the collar of my shirt. "No, no, we really _like _you." She walked around behind me. I was too…petrified to move. She put her head on my shoulders.

"Is this a test!? Did Juno put you up to this?"

"Nope! I'm 100%-o serious! Except the difference between Rita and I is that I'm not too shy to publically announce that you're my boyfriend…"

"Whoa, slow down!" I flipped around. She was still smiling. "Addison, I'm sure you're a great person and all, but…uh, I already have a girlfriend…"

"I know! Me!"

I shook my head. "No, no, not you. Juno. She's a Ranger."

She smiled and waved her hand. "I understand that it's healthy for a spouse to get some air every once in a while…"

If I had any liquid in my mouth, I would've done a spit take with it. "Wait spouse!?"

"We are getting married one day, you know. It wouldn't make sense for us not to; we have so much in common! I like Pokémon, you like Pokémon. I like what you do, you like what you do."

I started laughing nervously. "Wes," I called. "We're leaving!"

…

"I will marry you one day, William Henry Grey!" called Addison as Wes and I hurried out into the pouring rain. I still didn't even have my jacket on.

"What was that all about?" asked Wes.

"The greatest enemy I have ever faced ever has revealed themselves," I said. "Evil and irony, thy names be Addison." I heard a bell chime and looked behind to see Addison had a bicycle.

"Oh, Arceus, RUN!"

…

Genesis exited her stasis pod. She blinked her green eyes. Moving her gaze from Colress, to Karrgon, to King Plasma, she finally located a second Sarcophagus.

"What's in there?" she asked, walking towards it.

"You don't need to know that," said King Plasma firmly.

"But, I want to know…"

Before King Plasma could speak again, Colress raised a hand. He spoke directly into the tip of the blue half-circle around his head. "Your brother is in there, Genesis."

She blinked in confusion. "I have a brother?"

Colress nodded. He continued to speak into the half circle in his slow tone of voice. "Yes, you do."

"But I don't remember a brother…"

"You don't remember anything, because you have no memories," said Colress. "You have never existed before today. In fact, today is your birthday."

"Really?"

"Yes. Happy Birthday, Genesis."

"Thank you." She moved back, facing the second Sarcophagus once again. "Are you sure I don't have any memories?"

Colress nodded. "Very sure." He let her study the second Sarcophagus while he turned to King Plasma.

"It seems that the adjustments we made with the Signal Matrix were a success. The Incursion was purged in the Green Orb. Genesis has no obstructions."

"Does that mean she will have no memories?"

"For now, it seems so. But if they begin to resurface, it will be an easily corrected error."

King Plasma nodded, and they both turned back to Genesis. "Genesis, would you like to meet your brother?"

Genesis turned, the innocent look on her yet mature, about 18-year old face remaining. "Yes, I would very much like that."

Colress nodded, and a scientist in front of the Signal matrix pressed a button. The Green Orb glowed and hummed, and then quieted. The second pod opened. Out came the boy.

He looked very similar to Genesis, with green hair and eyes, about the same age.

"Genesis, this is your brother. His name is Neo."

"Hello, Neo," said Genesis in her slow, innocent tone. "I am Genesis. I am your sister. Today is our birthday."

Neo surveyed the room like Genesis had when she exited her pod. His gaze fixed on Ghetsis.

"I know you," he said, innocent and confused.

"No, you do not," said Colress. "You have never existed before today. Today is your birthday, like your sister has told you."

"Yes, Neo, today is our birthday," said Genesis, smiling. "Let us be happy. Happy birthday, brother."

Neo nodded. "Happy birthday, sister."

They continued to talk for a few minutes. King Plasma and Colress once again conversed.

"They won't be like this forever. Eventually, their brains will get used to existing, and they will begin to develop personality traits. Personality traits pre-designed by your exact specifications."

Ghetsis shook his head. "No, not by my specifications." His eyes glimmered. "They are to be exactly how I remember them."

Colress nodded. "We will do our best to assure once they reach that point, they will go no further." They turned back to the pair.

"Neo, Genesis. We have a present for you. Because it is your birthday."

Genesis smiled and blinked. "I would like that very much."

Two Plasma Grunts approached, both carrying wide, cylinders. They each pressed a button on the top, and the shades revealed the Red and Green Orbs.

"Now, you are not to permanently keep these. Colress will tell you of what you are to do with them."

They each took one. "Of course, father."

Colress tilted his head towards the door. "Now, if you would follow me, we can get you the rest of your present: you mission."


	2. Chapter 2: Deja Vu

"Man," I said, stopping at last. I was doubled over, hands on my knees, panting. As far as I knew, we had been running all night long. "I've never run with such a purpose…in my whole life, I swear…"

Wes was panting just as heavily as he finally caught up. I meant it, I had a purpose.

"On one hand-"I took a swig from my water bottle. "-on one hand, I have my first fan-girl. On the other hand…aw man, I have a fan-girl!"

Wes smiled. He snatched my canteen and drank some. "As soon as this escalades into a fan club, I'm buying you a T-Shirt."

"Oh, but it won't. I'm going to kill Addison. If that fall didn't kill her already…"

Wes scratched his head and checked his backpack. "Yeah, what _did _you throw at her?" He stopped as we both remembered how I had taken a small projectile and thrown it directly into the spokes of her front wheel. "That was an awesome throw, by the way."

"Yeah, I can be pretty accurate when I apply myself," I said, smiling and grinning. "I threw the PokéNav."

Wes did a spit take. "You _what_!?"

I turned and crossed my arms. "I'm not ashamed."

"Dude that thing cost me two grand!"

"If you want a quality product, buy it from Silph Co. Devon Co. Products are barely good enough to chuck at a crazy fan-girl's bicycle…"

"Do you have some sort of hatred towards Devon Co. because your Dad is an executive at Silph Co.?" Wes asked skeptically.

"Does the son of the owner of Burger King hate the son of the owner of McDonald's?" I answer rhetorically.

"Hm. Touché."

We continued walked, struggling to remain upright and keep our eyes open. We had been running for hours without sleep, and to top it all off, we were starving. The path to Littleroot Town had been lost long ago, and so finding it wasn't a concern anymore.

"Dude, I think we're lost," said Wes. "Maybe we should stop and ask for directions?"

I stopped, spread my arms, and turned slowly in a circle. "We're in the middle of the woods!" I turned to a small, brown raccoon Pokémon who was scurrying across the forest floor.

"Excuse me, sir, my friend and I are lost. Could you point us towards Littleroot Town?"

The Pokémon shook its fur, and then continued on. "See?"

Wes sighed, defeated. "Okay, touché again."

We continued on our hopeless quest to find civilization for about ten more minutes, until we heard screaming. We both looked at each other happily, and took off towards the sound.

"You know," I said in between breaths. "Never have I ever been so excited to hear someone in pain."

We jumped through the brush to see quite a humorous scene. That same brown raccoon Pokémon was hissing at a man up in a tree. He was young, maybe about thirty, and a bit on the large side. He had a big brown beard and wore sandals and a lab coat.

Wes looked at me with a "Who's the Idiot Now?" look.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It could've actually lead us here…"

The man whimpered. "Could you two please help me?"

"Uh, mister?" I yelled up at the tree. "Do you realize that the creature hissing at you is a small woodland rodent?"

"Yeah, I know, but it might have Pokérus! I don't wanna risk that!"

"Pokérus?" I looked at Wes confused. "Is that some sort of disease?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's a mysterious affliction that actually strengthens the rate at which Pokémon can grow. But it's fatal in humans."

I nodded. The man yelled again.

"Can you two please help!?" I sighed and walked over to the Pokémon. I kicked it into the woods.

"Okay, it's safe now!" He slid down the trunk of the tree, though a little too fast. He landed hard on his rear. He stood slowly.

"Oof, that's gonna hurt when I wake up…" He turned back to us surprised, like he had forgotten we were there. He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Oops! Sorry! I forgot you were there!"

I turned to look at Wes, my look a bit annoyed. He smiled. "I kinda like this guy!"

His rear still soar, he slowly waddled towards a satchel near the base of the tree. He slung it over his shoulder and waddled back to me and held out his hand, the expression on his face happy and genuine, as if he hadn't just wasted my time.

"Hello there! I'm Professor Birch! And you are-?"

I shook his hand. "William Grey. And this is Wesley Oak."

"Oh, the Sam's grandson! He told me you two were coming! I'm supposed to upgrade your Pokédex, right? You'll have to refresh my memory; I'm a bit of a scatterbrain!"

"You don't say…"

He laughed and slapped me on the back. This guy was strong.

"The sense of humor on this one! Wahahahaha…"

We began to walk away with him, when we heard a rustle behind us. We all turned to see at least ten of those raccoon things, hissing and advancing in a semi-circle. Birch screamed and hid behind me.

"Are you really afraid of these things?" I turned and asked him.

"I got bit when I was a kid, okay! That changes a man…"

I looked at the Pokémon. Some were actually foaming at the mouth. That was worrisome…

"Okay…I'm probably not going to try and kick them…"

"A good idea," chimed Wes.

"So, Birch…got any Pokémon? I'm fresh out."

He shoved a Pokéball into my hand and tossed one to Wes.

"Alright, go…uh…Whatever!" I tossed the Pokéball. Out came a small blue…platypus…salamander thing. It had a dopey grin on its face. It honestly reminded me of Wooper.

"Dex, can you…darn it!" We still hadn't upgraded my Pokédex.

"That's a Mudkip!" shouted Birch.

Wes sent out his. It was a green gecko, which also looked like it just didn't care. Not in an ignorant way, though. A kind of jerk way.

"Treeko," birch clarified.

"Okay. Uh, hey Mudkip! What moves do you-"

"Water Gun!" Birch was using it. "Just make it do a Water Gun!"

"Alright…you heard em…" Mudkip let loose a stream of water from its mouth. That took out a few.

"Treeko, Absorb!" A glowing stream shot from Treeko's tail, and enveloped a Zigzagoon (I had heard Birch nervously whispering their name). The Zigzagoon fell down, exhausted.

"How did you know it could do that?" I asked.

"I know my stuff." We finished the remaining Zigzagoon. Little did we know, one had snuck around the side during the battle. It dashed out of the brush and lunged at Birch and I. We fell down and screamed.

"Torchic, Ember!" Bullets of flame knocked the Zigzagoon out of the air. Whimpering, it retreated into the bushes.

A girl approached us, a small orange chicken hopping by her side. She had long hair and wore a bandanna on her head. She had a red shirt and wore running shorts and sneakers. She helped Birch and I too our feet.

"Thanks," I said. She ignored me and walked over to Birch. Even the little chicken tilted its head away, acting all high and mighty.

She prodded her father in the chest and put on an accusing glance. Birch looked as afraid as he did when the Zigzagoon had attacked.

"Dad, if you're going out into the woods to do research, either take me or find _competent _Trainers to accompany you!"

That did it. "Competent?" I yelled angrily. "Chick, do you even know who I am?" Wes looked a little surprised at me. I try to be polite, but when I feel like I'm being pushed around, my city lingo and accent come out. That's just the way it is.

She put her hands on her hips. "No, no I do not!"

"Go out into the woods. Looks for a girl with a crashed bike and possibly a broken neck. She'll tell you," laughed Wes.

"Yeah, well, when three men can't handle a horde of Zigzagoon, I tend to worry…"

"Those things had freakin' Poké-rabies!" I yelled and waved my arms.

"Pokérus."

"Whatever! Listen, that looked pretty bad. I mean, I've only been in Hoenn for like a day, and I've never seen Pokérus before, but that looked pretty bad if you ask me."

The girl stroked her chin. "You know, you're right," she said, now calm. "You may be a noob-"

"Not a noob!"

"But you know your stuff. Pokérus is very rare, and it hardly ever spreads…especially not that fast and in that degree…" She looked back up at me. "I have a favor to ask." She grabbed my arm and started pulling me away. "Come with me!"

"But…hey, wait! Where are we going!" I yelled, confused. "Wes! Don't let the strange lady take me!"

Wes walked up beside Birch as the two watched the girl drag me away.

"Is she always like this?" asked Wes. Birch laughed.

"May can be a bit high-strung at times."

They were silent.

"Yes. Yes she is."

…

"What's going on!?" Shear stormed into the bridge of _Crystal Lance_. The officer near the door tried to snap off a salute, but the ship tilted once more and he stumbled to the sides.

"Madame, we're having minor problems with the system-"

_ENGINES OFFLINE!_

"Turn them back on!" yelled the officer. Several Plasma grunts scrambled about their stations. He turned back to Shear, smiling weakly. She stood there, not amused, tapping her crossed arms.

"Well, you see, we've had a slight breach of-"

Shear cleared her throat. "Cut the garbage. Everything's turning on and off, doing all sorts of things it shouldn't. WHY!?"

"Well, you see-"

_Hey, Shear!, _came a voice over the intercom. Shear recognized the voice immediately. She groaned.

"No…no, no no no no! Don't tell me-"

_Yup, _said Arai. _I got out again!_

"That's the third time this week!"

"I know, milady," said the officer. "We've been trying-"

"-but failing," retorted Shear.

_This is fun! _Lights flickered on and off, hatchets opened, button and levers went up and down. The bridge was chaos.

"Aria, I'm warning you! Give us the ship back or else!" said Shear, pointing at the ceiling.

_What are you gonna do? Threaten me by saying "Get out or I won't get gas for a week!"? Ha! The ships' solar powered!_

"Aria, I swear to Arceus above I will-" The shop rocked violently.

_WARNING! DAMAGE REPORTS OF 40% AND UP ON DECKS 3, 4, AND 6. SHIELDS DOWN TO 20%_

"Aria…"

_What!? I wanted to shoot the missiles!_

"But why _at _us?"

_Well, it's not fun if you don't have a target…_

Shear sighed. She was at her wits end with this spirit. Why, just on Monday, it had snuck into the mainframe and locked all of the doors. By the time they had all been forced open, several crew members had passed out from starvation. Except for those in the mess hall. In fact, Shear thought that they had gained a few pounds…

And on Wednesday, it had turned on the fire hazard sprinklers in the ceilings and left them running until there was no more water. Not only were they soaking wet, but they had to hold it until they docked again…

"Aria, why do you take pleasure in this?"

_Are you kidding!? You trapped me! This is like recess after being stuck in a classroom for so long. Watch this!_

An ensign who was leaning up to reach the higher controls necessary for maintaining the ship shrieked as a lever came down on her head with a sickening _CRACK!_

_Hehehehehehe! That's the third time I've done that!_

Shear growled and clenched her fist.

_Okay, I can see you're angry, so I'll cut you a deal. Repeat after me, and I'll get out._

Shear sighed. "Alright…"

"_My name is Shear-"_

Shear looked around. Most everyone was staring. "Oh, get back to work!"

_Ahem…_

Shear puffed and mumbled the responses. "My name is Shear…"

"_-and I pick my nose-"_

"And I pick my nose…" A few ensigns giggled. She looked at the commanding officer. Even he was fighting to keep his dignified look straight.

"_-and The Last Airbender was the greatest movie ever-"_

Shear swallowed, both her pride and literally as she coked out the next part. "-a-and The Last Airbender w-was the g-greatest movie ever-"

_Say it again. Smile this time._

Shear's face turned red. She could almost feel her mask being welded to her face by the heat. She did as she was told.

"_-aaaand…I have a big butt and I'm stupid!"_

"-and I have a big butt and I'm stupid…"

_There! Was that so hard?_

One part in particular really was. "Now get out."

_Hmmmm…no._

Shear literally screamed. She took out a sword and slashed the wall.

The officer looked up. "B-but you said-"

_I lied!_

Shear stormed out of the room.

"Where are you going?" called the officer.

"To the computer core. I'm gonna pull some plugs!"

As she walked, she glanced at her behind.

"Is it really that big…?"


	3. Chapter 3: Proper Treatment

Littleroot Town reminded me much of Pallet and New Bark Town. It was a small town, almost a village. It consisted of a few modest, quaint little houses spread over a gracious green field with a few rolling hills. In all honesty, it was a glorified meadow. In a good way, though.

In the center of town, a bit taller than some of the other buildings, I assumed was Birch's lab. I saw a few thick cables and machines sticking out the side, as well as silhouetted in the windows.

As May dragged me through the doors, I had another sudden flash of déjà vu. There were scientists and lab hands moving around the space, which was cramped with all of the tables and machines and computers. Pokémon of all shapes and sizes were having tests conducted on them and were being studied. Just like the first time I had walked into Oak's lab to receive my first Pokémon, my Pokédex, and start my journey over a year ago.

I almost blew it up. Man, time flies.

I snapped back to reality and realized a possibly deranged female was dragging me through a mysterious building.

"I just want you to know that I'm slightly proficient in self-defense!" I rushed out as she forcefully let go of my arm and I was flung into a table, which I sat on. She moved over to a computer terminal and started typing.

"Relax, I'm not gonna bite you."

I felt a pinching sensation, and looked down to see May's Pokémon was pecking at my leg and grabbing my pants in its beak.

"Well, it appears you can't say the same for your birdie," I said wryly.

"What, Torchic? She's just getting to know you, that's all."

I took some pleasure in the next thought to come to my mind. "Please don't introduce Torchic to my girlfriend," I said with a smile on my face, "She'll probably step on it."

May grunted and continued her work. "I can make an educated guess who wears the pants in this relationship…"

The door _whooshed _as Wes and Birch strolled in. I folded my arms as they assessed the situation. I think they knew exactly what had gone down.

"So, Birch," I said, still not very amused with today's events. "What's, uh…what's goin' on?"

Birch laughed and scratched his head. "Honestly, I dunno."

I looked around Birch at Wes and shrugged my shoulders. "What a guy!"

Wes legitimately shrugged. "I still kinda like him…"

I heard a ripping sound, and turned to see may striding over to me with a piece of paper she had just taken from the printer. I looked at it like a caveman studying a TV remote. It was covered with graphs and numbers and…math…

I passed it back to her. "Listen, I'm more of a sci-fi novel kind of guy, so-"

May sighed and crumpled the paper. "Fine! Idiot terms is it! Pokérus is spreading at a violent rate, and with mutant variants like we've never before. Since I'm only one researcher-"

"You don't have others?"

May's face turned red, and she turned to face Birch. He jumped, and resorted to once again smiling and scratching the back of his head.

"No. THEY ALL QUIT!"

Birch laughed weakly. "I, uh…forgot to pay them for a few weeks…"

"Are you sure I should be letting this guy touch my Pokédex?" I asked May. She sighed and shook her head.

"He's very good when he's focused…which usually takes me breathing down his neck…" I shrugged and took out Dex. I tossed him to professor Birch, who fumbled him, making me immediately regret my decision.

The professor took out a small screwdriver and began to unscrew a small flap on the back of my Pokédex.

_Whoa! _Came Dex. _You're gonna have to buy me a drink first, buddy!_

May looked at me with a mixture of worry and confusion. "Is your AI…free thinking?"

"Yeah…why?"

May began to breathe slowly. "That's…pretty worrisome."

"He's just a jerk sometimes. Ignore him."

"B-but how did he become like that-?"

"I dunno. One day he turned off, and a few days later he just turned back on and he was like that."  
May looked around nervously, and then leaned into my ear. "Keep an eye on it. If it starts acting weird, contact me immediately. Especially if it starts asking a lot of questions." Her hushed tone was shaky and worried.

She stood back and cleared her throat. "So, my request. I need to you help me find a cure for RP."

"Role playing?" asked a confused Wes. "Why can't people just accept the genre and let it be?"

May turned to Wes with fire in her eyes. She was running out of patience-and possibly sanity. "IT STANDS FOR RAMPANT POKÉRUS! OKAY!?"

She stood panting with anger for a minute. She straightened herself and began to take deep, even breaths. 'Relax, May. Deep, even breaths," she reminded herself.

_Anger issues? _I asked Birch with an expression.

He nodded. _Anger issues._

Birch snapped Dex shut and tossed him back. "Well, that should do! Your Pokédex is updated with the latest Hoenn maps, information, and Pokémon data. It's also logged Zigzagoon from our little…erm, encounter, as well as Treeko and Mudkip. Speaking of which, would you two mind sending them back out?"

We obliged, and sent our Pokémon out in front of Birch. Mudkip remained in his happy little pose, while Treeko just stretched and folded its arms behind its head. Birch knelt down in front of them, testing some instruments on them (the science kind, not the musical kind). He stood back up and smiled.

"Well, they seem rather attached to their new Trainers. I think they want to hang around with you!"

May nearly jumped. "B-but Dad! What am I going to use on my journey?"

"Torchic should be enough, shouldn't it?"

May looked like she was about to lose it again. "NOT THE POINT! ARE YOU JUST GOING TO ENTRUST RANDOM TRAINERS WITH RARE POKÉMON!?"

I picked up Mudkip and tiptoed over to Wes. "I think we should go," I whispered in his ear. He nodded, and we slowly exited the lab, May and Birch arguing the whole way out. Well, if you call one person shouting with inhuman rage at a nervous man-child and argument.

"Well, they seem good…"

"SO DID THAT CHEETO YOU FOUND UNDER THE COUCH! BUT YOU REGRETTED THAT, DIDN'T YOU!?"

"Now May, remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure-"

"DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!"

…

We heard May screaming at Birch until at least five minutes out of Littleroot. And once the ranting stopped, I could really enjoy the scenery on a nice Hoenn afternoon.

The sun shone down on the forest, making it nice and warm, but not too hot. Light reflected off of the leaves in the middle of most trees, lighting up the path for most of the way, and creating a pleasant shade for some parts.

As we went we noticed forest Pokémon simply going about their lives. A group of little purple bugs (Wurmple) moved slowly about the shady branches, nibbling on leaves and watching us as we passed. Two small fox like Pokémon (Poochyena) were playfully wrestling in a small clearing. Round, silk covered cocoons(Silcoon and Cascoon) dangled from tree branches like an array of piñatas.

"Whaddya think would happen if I whacked one with a stick?" asked Wes, who had made the same comparison as I did.

"You'd probably be stung and I'd have to drag your sorry butt the rest of the way to Pettleburg," I said jokingly. "And would you really leave me alone in a place in which lurks such evil and dangerous creatures?"

"Like RP infected Pokémon?"

"No. Addison." We both laughed and continued on the path, but were interrupted by a macabre hiss. We turned around, and a Zigzagoon hopped out of the bushes. Its fur was singed.

"Will," Wes nervously tugged on my sleeve. "That's the one from before…"

I took out Mudkip's Pokéball. "Relax, there's two of us, and one of it!"

It let out a mighty screech. Its hair bristled, and its jaw opened wide, reveling rows of sharp teeth. Saliva went flying in strands. Wes and I both screamed. Wes hopped into my arms and we continued screaming.

"Aha!" came a voice. "Gotcha now, _mañoso_!" A figure swung through the trees one what appeared to be a glowing blue wire. Once he reached his arc on the final branch, it retracted into the small item in his hand: a Capture Styler! He did an awesome tuck and roll and came back up on one knee, facing Zigzagoon. I could finally get a good look at him.

He had brown skin, and long, spiky black hair. He was of muscular build, and wore a red and yellow uniform with a number seven on the shoulder.

"End of the line, _mapache_!" He activated his Styler. "_En Captura!"_

Zigzagoon, new feeling truly outnumbered, hissed. It swept up a cloud of dust with its tail. The Ranger coughed, at it his him right in the face. When the dust cleared, Zigzagoon was gone.

He stood and dusted himself off. "Oh, _magnifico! _It got away again!" He looked over at Wes and I. I looked at him, and then down at Wes, who was still lying in my arms. He put on a sheepish grin and waved. I dropped him.

"You two okay?" The stranger walked over to us.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, we're good." I looked down and scratched my head. When I looked up, his hand was hovering in front of me.

"Emile." He said in a friendly tone of voice. "Emile Vega." I took his hand and shook it.

"Will. William Grey. And that's-"

"Wes…" he moaned, still on the ground.

"Man, that Zigzagoon really scared you _loco_. Do you, uh, know anything about it?" Emile sounded really interested in the subject.

"Uh, yeah. It's infected with Rampant Pokérus. And, ever since I kicked it earlier today, it kinda wants my blood…"

Emile whistled. "You made enemies with _El Mapache Loco_? You may friend, are crazy!"

Wes stumbled to his feet and brushed himself off. "Yeah, says the guy who swung through the forest like Tarzan with an instrument designed to pacify Pokémon."

Emile laughed. Wes and I looked at each other awkwardly. Man, Hoenn was just full of friendly people. Friendly, but weird people. I guess I really can't complain.

"Yeah, I'm pretty insane. But, I've been tracking The Mad Raccoon, that's what I just called him, for a few days now."

"Why do you take such and interest in RP Pokémon?" asked Wes. "Did May hire you?"

"May?" he asked. "I don't know any _senorita _named May." He leaned in close to me and winked his eyebrows. "Is she cute?"

Wes snapped his fingers a few times. "Answer the question."

"Answer mine and I'll answer yours," he said in a smooth, suave tone of voice.

"She's a bit of a firecracker," I admitted.

Emile rolled his tongue in a way that sounded like a purr. "I like em _caliente_…"

"Ahem. _El Mapache Loco?_"

"Oh, yeah. Well, I've been doing my best to find RP Pokémon. You see, there's no cure so far for Pokérus in humans, and I've made it my mission to find one…"

He looked over his shoulder, sorrow and remorse overtaking his face.

"Do you know someone who got infected?" I asked softly. He nodded.

"My brother."

I put a hand his shoulder. "Well, as luck would have it, we're looking for a cure. Among…other things…"

"Like what?"

Wes laughed. "We'll tell you on the way." He started to go, but turned back to face Emile and I. "But seriously, it will most likely take the whole way. That is, if you want to come."

Emile didn't hesitate. "_Vamos! _You gotta be kiddin', little man! A chance to find a cure for my brother and take on _El Mapache Loco_? I'd have to be crazy to accept that. And we've already established that!"

I nodded, satisfied to have Emile on the team. "Now, come on," I said, leading him on the path. "There is much more evil that lurks in these parts. Trust me…"


	4. Chapter 4: The Veil

"Okay, so I don't really get it. Shear was Kelci's sister all along. So who was Samantha?"

As we walked along Route 102, Wes and I had attempted a retelling of our adventure so far. Since Emile was going to be on the team, he might as well have the low-down on everything that was going on. He wasn't exactly an "Accept What I Tell You," kind of guy. He had a lot of questions, as if our firsthand retelling of the events had plot holes.

"Samantha _is _Shear. 'Shear' is Samantha's codename," explained Wes.

Emile nodded. Which made absolutely no assurance that he understood. "Alright, alright, I'm just havin' some trouble with this. I'm still trying to grasp the whole 'You Crashed an Airship' part. And the jumping at a helicopter that was clearly flying away. I thought you were one of those careful, smart types, little man."

"I'm full of surprises," I said with a smile. "And I'm not little! I'm 15 and like 6'2!"

Emile smiled and playfully messed up my hair. 'Well, I'm 17 and 6'5, so you're little to me, _hombre_.

"So what mission or whatever did Team Plasma send you on this time?"

"Pfft. I dunno. They haven't even said anything yet. They just told me to come here." I took out my Pokégear. "I mean, I got a weird audio file earlier that had Shear saying stupid stuff on it, but that's all so far."

We continued on our path towards Pettleburg City. Honestly, I really enjoyed being in Hoenn. I still preferred Kanto, though. I liked how it was warm during the day, but I had grown accustomed to the temperature dropping at night to a nice, cool degree.

"You're homesick, aren't you?" asked Emile, studying my face.

"I…can you read minds? Let's just establish that now. Do you have any manner of special powers?"

Emile laughed. "From your stories, I could see why you'd want to know. But, no, I'm just a normal Area Ranger."

I nodded, satisfied that our latest addition wasn't another mutant. "But, how did you know-"

"I could tell, man-"said Emile, very thoughtfully. "That's one of the reasons my brother and I get along so well. We know each other, how to read out expressions and that of other people."

I nodded, knowing what he was saying but wishing I knew better. The age gap between my sister and I had been a little too big for us to be really close siblings. Well, we were pretty close, and we got along well, but not on the level that Emile and his brother did. I had always wished I had a close sibling. Even a twin. But I would hate to be one of those twins with stupid matching names, like Luis and Louise. Or Michael and Michelle. Or…ugh, Billy and Lily.

I secretly prayed to Arceus that somewhere out there, Lily Grey was not looking for her long lost brother. I almost missed the rest of Emile's speech.

"-and I can really read someone's emotions. Like you, you were looking around at your surroundings, and you looked pleased, but like you were missing something. You've never been too far from home, have you?"

"Not for long, no," I said, shaking my head. "I mean, I've been to Unova before, but I always knew I'd be back, and I only stayed for about a week. I've never been separated from home by an ocean and not known when I'll return.

Emile nodded. "I know how you feel. Being a Ranger, you get used to it, man."

I took in what Emile was saying, surveying my surroundings once more, but this time, just taking them in instead of noticing how they were different. I looked at the tall, magnificent trees, the long, waving grasses of the hill. The little green mushroom moving through the forest…

Wait a second. "Guys, did you see that?"

"What?" asked Wes.

"That mushroom. It moved." Emile laughed.

"Hey, little man, you sure you didn't _eat _any mushrooms on the way here?" He and Wes cracked up.

"No guys, I'm serious! I-" The "mushroom" emerged from the brush. The part I interpreted to be fungus was a green cap on its head, which had two pink horns sticking out of it. It had a small white body, with two small white arms. Accept one was red and brown; caked with blood.

"It's hurt," said Wes, and without hesitation, Emile ran up to it. He took off his Ranger jacket and swaddled the Pokémon up in it.

"Come on!" He took off ahead of us. "We gotta go! _Date prisa!_"

We took off down the path, Emile's legs eating up the distance between us and Pettleburg. I took out Dex.

"Dex, what is that thing?"

_Ralts_

_The Feeling Pokémon_

_If its horns capture the warm feelings of people or Pokémon, its body warms up slightly._

"I'll give you one guess what did that," said Wes as we ran.

Unknown behind us, _El Mapache Loco_ hissed, and slowly retreated into the shadows.

…

Wes and I had been waiting in our usual couch area in the Pokémon Center. Emile had rushed Ralts in without a word to Nurse Joy. Seeing a Ranger carrying a wounded Pokémon, she must've known exactly what was up, and followed him right in.

We had been waiting almost an hour. Usually, the air in the Pokémon Center was warm and friendly. Now, it was cold and ominous, as we knew what was at stake for Ralts.

We looked up hopefully as Emile emerged from the OR, still not wearing his jacket. He stopped in front of us.

"Well, I got good news and bad news."

"Bad news first," I said softly.

Emile nodded. "Bad news: Ralts has RP. No way to avoid that. Good news: Psychic Types seem to be resistant, but not immune. Its Psychic powers will be weakened substantially. It won't be strong enough to survive on its own anymore, and no Trainer will want it-"

I shot up from my seat. "I'll take Ralts."

Emile seemed surprised. "You sure about this?"

I nodded, a look of stone cold determination taking my face.

Emile put on that friendly smile of his. "See, now this is why I love you guys."

…

Ralts was asleep, leaning up against me. The little guy was tough, I'll give him that. His arm was wrapped up in a bandage, which would remain there for a while.

Wes, Emile and I were eating dinner, when my phone started to ring. I answered.

"Hello?"

_Snake, I have a new mission for you, _came to scratchy response. I shook my head and laughed.

"Burgundy, leave the impressions to me."

Wes put down his food. "Is that Burgundy? Let me talk to her!"

I waved my hand. "Wes says hi, by the way."

_Oh, he's still alive. Good. Well, I was just saying hi, it's been like a week. _I smiled, and before I could respond, Burgundy came back.

_I know you're putting on some dopey smile right now, Will, so cut it out! And I know you were about to say "What, can't live without me!" and I totally can!_

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

_Ugh! You are impossible sometimes! So, have you and Juno- _She began to make slurping sounds.

"If you're asking if we've kissed yet, the answer is no. We're trying, though."

_Arceus still tryin' to get you? Well, power to ya. Anyway, I'm wrapping up business here, I should be joining you soon. My boat leaves tonight._

"Maybe she'll get sunburned again," mumbled Wes.

_I heard that!_

I laughed. "Well, we'll see you soon then."

_Yup! The team's gonna be whole again! Buh-bye! _She hung up.

"So," said Emile, slurping up some noodles. "This Burgundy…is she cute?"

Wes and I looked at each other. "In a way," he responded.

"Which way?"

"I'd say 'Kid Sister' cute. Like, 'Look What I Just Did, Mommy!' That kind of cute."

"You know," said Wes. "As opposed to 'Pretty Cute' or just plain 'Attractive Cute.'"

"And then there's the top tear. 'Basket of Kittens' cute."

We all did a collective "Aw", and stopped for a moment.

"Never again," I said.

"Agreed," said Wes and Emile. We went back to our food.

…

Genesis watched her reflection in the puddle. She didn't move, she just watched.

"My mind," she said to Neo, "-is just like this. It presents itself to me, clear. I can almost see it. The waters are a bit murky, but I can see it. And when I reach out to touch it," she did so, and the puddle shimmered, "-it becomes obscure." She turned to face him fully. "It feels like there is a veil over my mind. Why?"

He was standing on a small hill, surveying their surroundings. "I…I don't know."

Genesis got up off of her knees. She walked over to Neo, and joined him, looking over the side of the cliff. "Are they memories?"

"Sometimes I wonder that," he said. "But Father says we are new. That we can't have memories. That these are just shadows."

"And do you believe him?"

"Some parts of me tell me not to. They scream it, as if they are desperate. Others, the calmly convince me that he is right." Neo looked her in the eyes. His eyes shimmered. "These parts are very loud, even if I don't want to hear them. They persuade the other parts to calm down, to be quiet."

Genesis sat down, dangling her legs over the side of the cliff. "Do you think we'll find out? What we really are, that is." Neo dismounted the small ledge, and walked over to where Genesis was looking into the puddles. "Maybe. But, until then, we have a mission to accomplish."

He took off the cylindrical case that was strapped to the back of his shoulders. He pressed the button to open the veil, and gazed at the red orb. It felt like a black hole, sucking in his gaze. As opposed to the green orb, which seemed to push it back.

"How far to Mt. Pyre?" asked Genesis.

"I don't know, Gennie. That was part of our mission; to find it." He continued walking gazing at the orb.

"Watch out!" cried Genesis. He stopped, and looked at the mud puddle at his feet. "You don't want to fall in like last time!"

He was confused. "I remember that…but there was no last time. This is our very first mission. I think-" He was shoved into the mud puddle. Genesis laughed.

"Enough thinking! Enjoy life!" She continued to laugh, but shrieked as Neo grabbed her leg and pulled her in. They both studied each other for a moment, covered in mud. Then they broke out laughing.

After a few minutes, Neo stopped.

"What's wrong?" Genesis splashed him with mud. He shielded his face; he was serious.

"I…I remember all of this too. But if these aren't our memories…who's are they?

**Just a couple things (sorry I forgot, guys)**

**I thought I had made it clear that Burgundy was coming back soon, and that just a small absence to mix things up a bit (and for story purposes) but I got a little outcry, so I thought I'd make myself clear.**

**Second, I got a question in regards to a few characters' ages. May is 16, and Burgundy is 14 going on 15.**

**There you go!**

**-TrainerNaps**


	5. Chapter 5: Problems, Problems, Problems

Wes sat on the bench with his face in his hands. What had he done?

"You just called your best friend a mutant, that's what," he whispered to himself. Will had it hard enough already, being the mind-puppet of some ancient spirit, and the almost literal slave of Team Plasma. Any progress they had made thus far from distracting Will from the indomitable fact that he wasn't human anymore had just gone down the drain.

"You look down," came a calm, light voice. Wes looked to his left. A man in a trench coat had just taken a seat next to him on the bench.

"Yeah, I kinda just struck a nerve with a friend; he's kinda depressed now…"

"And you feel guilty?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Wes, lifting his face from his hands. "It's a really sensitive topic, and he hasn't really had to deal with it for a while…"

"He's not mad at you, is he?"

"No…he's to in control to really get mad at me. He's just trying to get it off of his mind, that's all…"

"Is that true?"

"Huh?" Wes was a bit confused.

"Truthfully, is it because of what you said, or what he knows?"

"I…I guess…"

"Then ideally, you shouldn't blame yourself. Don't worry about what you did on the outside, but help him put to rest what he feels on the inside. You see, every solution is simple when you look at the simple standpoint of truth and ideals."

"Wow…that's pretty deep. Thanks, Mysterious Trench Coat Man!"

"No problem, Wes," he said and got up to leave.

"Yeah, well…wait, how did you know my name?" He was gone.

…

I kicked the can once more. The word "mutant" just kept ringing out in my head. That's what I was. I wasn't man anymore. I was a mutant. A science project. Literally a freak of nature. I didn't belong. My being didn't make sense. I was supposed to be dead. That's the way nature willed it, yet I defied that.

Maybe that's why the universe just keeps messing up my time with Juno. It's slowly working up to my elimination. First it takes away love, then friends, until I'm completely isolated, and it makes me understand I don't have a place here. Then it'll kill me.

"You're being too skeptical and pessimistic," said my right side.

"No, he's right. He doesn't belong. He's a mutant," said my left. Funny, I always wanted to believe my right side, but my left was always louder and made me doubt the right.

Maybe the left is right…or not. What would Caitlin say?

_Don't be so down on yourself. If you fall down, especially if you've tripped over your own two feet, just pick yourself up. Don't lie down and let yourself be stomped further._

What about Burgundy?

_*French mumbo-jumbo* I highly doubt the universe would have time to mess with one person's life! It isn't all about you, ya know? Some people…_

I chuckled to myself. I could really use Burgundy's brand of tough love right now. When it comes down to it, the things she says really get me going…

"Will!" We caught up with me. "Dude, I'm sorry I-"

"Nah, it's cool, I'm over it." Wes looked proud and relieved. "In fact, why not embrace it? That's what Ariados Man and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Squirtles did! And everyone loves them. Well, except J. Jonah Jamison and…uh, who's the TMNS villain?"

"Uh…Scizor!"

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"What about Zubat Man?"

"Nah, he's just a regular guy. A regular billionaire guy."

We began walking back to the Pokémon Center.

"So, Will, are you a super hero in disguise?"

"Well, I'm not saying I'm Zubat Man…but Zubat Man and I have never been in the same room together, so…"

…

I felt so good when I entered the Pokémon Center these days. It feels like a second home at this point. You're never lonely; Pokémon Trainers of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds are always there, always willing to talk or battle. And you're never alone either; if you're in trouble, someone is willing to help. I loved this place.

Emile was chatting it up with the local Nurse Joy when we walked in. He noticed us, said something and winked, and then left.

"It took you two long enough," he said, stretching. "I had to get some extra phone numbers to pass the time."

"You didn't get one, did you?" I asked skeptically.

"Not one. Well, Nurse Joy did-"

"Pokémon Center phone doesn't count."

"Yeesh," he said, scratching the back of his head. You Trainer types are tough customers."

"Is that a stereotype?" asked Wes.

"No, no, I'm just sayin…"

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Wes sat down on the couch. "So, Captain," he said, looking at me. "What're we doing tomorrow? We going for the Gym Badge?"

I sat down and thought. I hadn't done a lot of training lately…but on the other hand, I can't wait to leave this city…well, my Pokémon do need to get a little stronger…I told Wes and Emile my plan.

"Sounds good," said Wes, putting his feet up on the small coffee table. "I've heard that Route 116 is a local favorite spot to train. We could try there."

I nodded and took out my two Pokéballs. I hadn't really gotten a chance to use these guys yet…time to see everything they're made of.

…

"Mudkip, Water Gun!" Mudkip once again sent a jet of water into Treeko. Wes and I had been pitting our new starters against each other for close to an hour. This was Round 3: The Tie Breaker.

Treeko raised its arm to block the attack. Although there was a type disadvantage, Treeko could still only take so much.

"Treeko, Pound!" commanded Wes. Treeko dashed forward. When it reached Mudkip, it leapt in the air and spin, its tail coming around to bit Mudkip in the face.

"Mudkip, grab it!" Mudkip bit down on Treeko's tail.

"Now, fling it!" Mudkip swung its head from side to side, until finally letting go. Treeko sailed into the air, and came crashing down on the grass. It tried to get up and failed.

"Woohoo!" Mudkip and I did our equivalent of a high-five: it jumping up and slapping my outstretched hand with its tail.

"That was a good battle," said Wes, taking Treeko back into its Pokéball. I took a swig of water and nodded in agreement.

"So, where to next?" I asked Wes, who held the map. "We've been in this spot all day. I'm ready for a change in scenery."

Wes checked the map. "Well, we could go the Rusturf Tunnel. Maybe find some new Pokémon."

That sounded like a good idea. "Come on," I said, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. "Let's move out." I looked over at Emile. He had fallen fast asleep in the shade of a Pecha Tree.

"Just leave him," said Wes. We laughed and continued on down Route 116.

…

"Okay, this _may _have been a mistake," said Wes, bumping into me once more. The Rusturf Tunnel was covered in a thick blanket of fog, into which we had delved too deeply and gotten lost.

"Well, now what?" I asked. "Check your map."

Wes rolled his eyes. I assume. "Will, maps don't work like that! They don't light up and tell you where you are! Now, if we had a PokéNav…"

"I'm not ashamed."

We continued fumbling around in the fog, until me foot hit something. It was soft and round. I bent over and picked it up. It was a light purple Pokémon with floppy ears.

"Hey Dex?"

_Sorry. Can't see._

The Pokémon made a whimpering sound. "That good enough?"

_On it._

_Whismur_

_The Whisper Pokémon_

_Usually, its cries are like quiet murmurs. If frightened, it shrieks at the same volume as a jet plane._

We were both silent. "Did he just say jet plane?" asked Wes. And then the shrieking started. And not just from one Whismur.

…

Emile awoke to the sound of rustling. He slowly peeked his eyes open. A couple of police officers, as well as a well-dressed man and woman, were searching through the brush.

"What's going on?" he moaned as he got up.

The officers seemed startled at first, but calmed when the saw him. "Oh, Ranger. This man was mugged earlier," said one officer, pointing to the chubby male. "He was carrying important Devon Corp technology."

"We should check Rusturf Tunnel," said one of the officers.

"Rusturf Tunnel?" said Emile, scratching his head. "I just had a dream that my friends said that they were going there…or maybe they actually said that…"

…

The screaming had stopped, but the ringing didn't.

"Will, are you there?" yelled Wes.

"What!?"

"I said, are you there!?"

"Yes I'm scared!"

"Me too! But if anything, I think the screaming lifted the fog!"

"No, I don't need another dog, I have Arcanine!"

"What!?"

"I said I don't want any more pets!"

"Do you even have enough money to buy a corvette?"

"What!?"

I bumped into someone. I turned to see the same Team Aqua guy from before. He was clutching his head as well, and under his arm was a satchel.

"Did you steal that!?" I yelled.

"What?" he yelled back.

"I said did you steal that!?"

"Yes, I felt that, you bumped right into me!"

The ringing was beginning to subside. "Wait, you're that goon from before!" shouted Wes.

The man, not relying on sound now but vision, jumped back upon seeing us. He jumped into a partially foggy area, apparently scaring something. I covered my ears and prepared for another sound-wave, fluttering instead. The man flung out his arms in an attempt to trap the Wingull that was flying out from behind him, but to no avail.

"Peeko," said that bird as it settled on a rock.

"What did it just say?" asked Wes.

I face-palmed and sighed. "It said Peeko." Oh Arceus. "Hey, did you by chance steal this from an old man?"

"Y-yeah."

I sighed even louder. "Peeko is a bird. PEEKO IS A WINGULL! ARE YOU SERIOUS! THAT GUY SENT ME TO FIND A WINGULL! I SAW 150 BEFORE I EVEN SET FOOT ON HOENN!"

"Buddy…" said the grunt. "Wanna calm it down…"

"NO! You would NOT believe the week I am having. I'm being chased by a crazed Zigzagoon, a crazy fan-girl, an evil organization, everyone seems to be coming to me with their problems, my girlfriend and I are going through a tough spot, I had an epiphany on my mortality, the biggest snob on the Earth seems to own this town, and to top it all off I HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU RIGHT NOW! SO YEAH, I'M KINDA STRESSED OUT!"

Wes, the grunt, and Peeko were all stunned, jaws (and beak) agape. I stood there, berating heavily.

"Dude, you didn't tell me you and Juno were having trouble," said Wes softly.

"We'll talk about it later." I focused back on the grunt. He shuddered when he met my gaze. I run at me. I prepared to fight, but he shoved the bag into my hands and ran away.

"Well," I said, looking at the bag. "That was a bit-anti climactic."

…

Steven slammed his fist down on his desk.

"What do you mean he didn't get it!?" He screamed into his intercom.

'I'm sayin' my grunt didn't come back with the good you promised!" came the gruff response. "Now, I ain't no college professor, but I know when I'm being two-timed."

"I'm not cheating you," said Steven. "That would be bad for business. So would just handing you the parts you need. That's why I sent my most incompetent employee to 'handle' them. It seems that you had the same idea."

"All my top-dogs were busy, okay? We'll find another way to make the exchange?"

"You seem desperate now," said Steven, an evil grin came to his face. "Which means my price just went up."

"Fine, fine, you'll get what you want. I know a spot we can meet. Dewford Town. I'll send your little sweetheart the details."

"I look forward to doing business." Steven took his finger off of the button. Almost immediately, it crackled again. He keyed the button.

"What?"

"Mr. Stone? May is here."

"How many times do I need to tell you she can come in whenever she wants?"

He sat back in his chair. A few minutes later, May entered his office.

"Where are we headed next, my love?" she asked, putting some files on his desk.

"Dewford Town. Arrange a transport."

"Already done." She slid one file closer to him and sat on the edge of the desk. "My research is coming along very well. Though I think the Ranger and his friends should be kept under watch."

He scoffed. "Waste resources on an Area Ranger and the garbage son of that Silph worker? Don't be too skeptical, love." He tickled the bottom of her chin. She giggled and slapped his hand.

"Stop it! You're so mischievous!" She tossed her hair to the side. "I ahte keeping our love a secret."

He swiveled his chair to face Rustboro City. "Soon, we won't have to. Soon shall come the new order."

May smiled. "And the return of the Goliaths."

**Mass Effect: Lies and Secrets Chapter 2 is out! You know, if anyone's interested...just sayin...**


	6. Chapter 6: Surrounded by Evil

We let the man (we found out his name was Ted) stay with us while we camped out for the night. He seemed fairly useless in the process of setting up camp; he was most likely a yes-man sent out by the CEO of Devon to run a simple errand, which he inevitably messed up.

When I woke in the morning, I turned my head to the sound of steady grunting. I looked over at a near tree. Emile was doing chin-ups on a branch.

"Exercise? This early?" I said, rubbing my eyes. Honestly, I hated exercise any time of day."

"Just…58…doing my…59…morning warm up…60…" he said grunted between chin-ups.

"How many do you do every morning?"

"75."

"Seventy five!?" In school, whenever we had fitness testing, I always had to push myself to the bare minimum. But this guy…

"You should meet my brother! Donatello does 100 every morning. And then he goes for his jog." He kind of trailed off at the end: I could tell he really missed and was worried for his brother.

I sat up and put on my hat. "We'll find your cure, Emile. I promise."

He smiled, and let go of his branch, landing nimbly on his feet. "Thanks, man. I knew I could trust you." He walked over and scooped up his pack. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna run ahead to get my morning jog in. I've already packed up most of the stuff. Catch you later." He trotted down the path.

Wes yawned and sat up. "Mornin." I chuckled.

"What? What are you staring at?"

I pointed to the sloth on his chest. "Wes, I think there's something you need to get off of your chest!"

"Aw, man, not again! I threw this jerk off me at least three times last night!" Wes' passenger slept soundly through our loud conversation.

_Well, Wes, I pegged you as more of a Teddiursa guy, _said Dex.

"Just do your job!"

_Slakoth_

_The Slacker Pokémon_

_If it eats just three leaves a day, it is satisfied. Other than that, it sleeps for 20h hours a day._

"Congrats, Wes!" I said, standing and beginning to pack up my sleeping bag. "Your new friend is the laziest Pokémon this side of the Earth!"

He brushed it off of him. It landed on its back, but just continued to lay there, motionless. After a moment of indecision, he groaned and just captured it. "Hey, Abra was just as lazy when you caught it!"

"Abra put up a fight! It didn't literally jump on my chest and not let go!"

"Alright, touché."

…

"A flower shop?" I said, reading the sign. "What's a flower shop doing on the outskirts of a cit-oh!"

Wes made a "No duh!" gesture. "You know, concrete flowers are pretty rare in Hoenn…"

"Gimmie a break!" I said. "I realized my mistake, okay!" I looked at the building up the small hill and began to walk towards it.

"C'mon, I want to get something for Juno."

"I-I'm allergic to most flowers," stammered Ted.

"Then just wait outside!"

"Hey," said Wes as I pushed open the door and heard a small "ding!", "Won't a flower be, you know, dead by the time we see Juno again? Unless of course you want to carry a vase around with you."

"There is one kind of flower I'm looking for," I said, scanning all of the flora contained within the shop. The specific flower I was looking for was a zatana, a kind of flower my sister had shown me in Unova. They take forever to dry out, and were blue, so were quite pleasing to my eyes. Their smell was also very pleasing. It tickled my nose every time I smelled it.

"Can I help you?" said a woman approaching us from behind a counter.

"Yeah, do you have zatana flowers?"

"Hm, no, sorry. We don't get imports from Unova anymore. They're too expensive to just ship in, and the seeds don't grow well in moist, loamy soil." She looked at the Pokéballs on my belt. "Are you by chance a Trainer?"

I nodded, and showed her my license. I never really liked the picture. I knew I should've grown a beard…

"Oh, can I ask you a favor?"

I looked at Wes, very unexcited. Here comes side quest number fifty…

She handed me a blue pale shaped like a Pokémon. "As a part of our 'Hoenn in Bloom' campaign, we're encouraging everyone to sue this Wailmer Pail to spread flowers and berries all across Hoenn. Make it a prettier place!"

"Uh, sure. No problem lady." I put it in my backpack. "Thanks!"

Wes and I exited the building. "You're not gonna water any flowers, are you?" he asked.

"Nope."

…

Tim sighed as we finally entered Rustboro City. Cars and buses occupied the roads, a few skyscrapers could be seen in the distance. Noise flew through the air. I inhaled deeply. Smoke and exhaust. I felt at home. Though this was nothing like Viridian City, I'll tell you that.

"I've never walked that far in my life!" exclaimed Tim.

"I could tell," Wes mumbled into my ear. Tim turned back to us and Wes did his best to look inconspicuous. He put his hands in his pockets and started to whistle. Tim reached into his bag and planted something into my hand.

"As a token of thanks from Devon Co., we present you with this complimentary PokéNav!"

I studied it for a moment, and then nonchalantly tossed it into the street. It was immediately run over. Ted looked dumbfounded.

"Wha-…why? That was-"

"A piece of junk, I know." I took out my Pokégear and waved it in front of his face.

Tim got all flustered, and red in the face, and turned to leave. He bumped into someone, and before he could protest, he straightened nervously.

"Oh, Mr. Stone, I-"

"Relax, Ted," said the boy. He was a bit shorter than me, though about two years older. He was very snappily dressed (though to me he looked like a geek. And that's coming from a geek). He wore a sweater vest, a maroon tie, and khaki pants. His white-grey hair was…I guess he called that a hairdo.

"Steven," I said calmly.

"William," he said back.

"How's Caitlin?"

"Good. How's Karen?"

"She's well."

Wes looked back and forth between us, not too oblivious to the cool but tensing air between us. "You two…"

"Remember that McDonalds and Burger King metaphor I gave you?" I said to Wes without breaking eye-contact with Steven. "That was more accurate than you'd think."

"Oh trust me, I'm familiar," said Steven in his stuck-up, condescending tone. "I used to use it when your father and mine were on the same rung of the corporate ladder. Obviously, that isn't the case anymore. My father is now the CEO of Devon, the de facto percentage."

"I'm no math geek," I said, putting my hands on my hips, "That's you. But isn't 75% of zero still zero?"

"Are you referring to Silph Co.'s current higher standing in stock?"

"I am indeed."

He scoffed. "Well, our sales and profit margins are up, so that should change soon enough."

"Raise the price on garbage, it's still garbage…"

Now the bullets really started flying. "At least Devon offers a decent extended warrantee!" he said, leaning forward and clenching his fist.

"A warrantee is basically saying 'It's gonna break, we'll buy you a new one though!'"

"At least we offer that!"

"Our stuff doesn't break! We don't need 'em!"

"That's profit you're just giving up on!"

"Warrantees are for suckers, anyway. We don't con our customers!"

"Don't con yourself with that kind of thinking, you-"

"How _dare _you disagree with my Willie!" I tensed not just at the improper use of my name, but also of the voice who said it: Addison. I glanced up at the traffic light: the red hand signaled no crossing. Curses!

She wrapped her arms around me and leaned her head against my shoulder. But I felt a stiff material touch my shoulder. Addison was wearing a pink neck brace.

"Addison…did that PokéNav I though at your bike…?"

"Yup!" she said cheerfully. "But it was only an accident, I understand!" She tried to kiss me, but luckily the brace prevented any stretching or movement of the neck: if she wanted to look over her shoulder, for example, she'd have to turn around.

Steven sneered. "Is this the best you can do, William?" Now, let's get one thing straight. Anything Steven attacks, I must defend. _I under no circumstance am attracted to Addison! _But I wasn't about to let Steven slander her.

"Let's get something straight, Your Royal Uptightness! Addison is a cheerful and dedicated human being-"

"Aw! Thanks, sweetie!"

I looked down at her. "Never call me that ever again. And furthermore, I'm doing better right now with a girl I barely even know and can't wait to get away from than you've done in your life, buddy! So suck on those!" For added measure, I stuck out my tongue. Addison followed suite. Maybe she wasn't so useless after all…

Steven smirked. "I happen to have a very enticing companion, thank you very much."

"Nosepass doesn't count," I said with a chuckle.

"Oh, I don't date the help. I was referring to my lovely flower, May Birch."

Another "Would Be Spit-Take Moment."

"Why would she go for a jerk like you?"

"Believe me, young William, there's a whole other side to me you haven't seen yet." He turned and strolled away. "Ta-ta!" Tim scrambled after him. I really hated that guy…

Speaking of "hate," well, maybe just supreme annoyance, I wouldn't go as far as hate, I shoved Addison off of my shoulder.

"How do you know him?" asked Wes, who had taken a seat on a bus stop bench to wait for the firefight to end.

"We went to school together. Devon used to be based in Kanto. We used to hate each other. We were rivals in everything we did. I think he's still bitter from 3rd grade when my paper-mache volcano beat his at the science fair…"

"What did he beat you at the spelling bee or something?" said Wes.

I stomped my foot. "That was garbage! No one knows how to spell 'paradigm!' It's pronounced 'para-dime' how is a 2nd grader supposed to know that!?"

Wes raised his hands protectively. "Easy, easy, I was just saying. I mean, seriously, that guy makes Andrew seem likeable…"

We both paused for a second. "Nah!"

Addison took her favorite spot clinging to my side. I growled and looked at Wes. He just grinned and leaned back. I'd get him later…

"So, what does my Sweetie Pie want to do this afternoon?" Addison said affectionately. 'We could get something to eat-"

"I already ate," I said blandly.

"-we could go to a museum-"

"I've seen all the art here."

"-we could just silently stare deep into each other's eyes-"

"My eyes dry out easily…" Come on, brain, I need a plan…

"Hey, look, uh…Will!" said Wes, pointing off down the sidewalk.

"Where!-hey, wait a minute…" we were already long gone.

…

We stood gasping for breath once we stopped. We had gone down at least five blocks from where we had been. Yet no city was great enough to hide us for long from Addison.

"Well…I got us out of that one," said Wes, "We good now?" I punched him in the arm.

"Yeah."

He rubbed his forearm. "You know, you've been getting a lot stronger lately."

"Yeah. Ever since Aria took my body for a joyride, these latent powers inside of me seem to be, like…awakening." I looked at my hands. I concentrated really hard, and the air in my palms rippled. I made a pushing motion at a newspaper, and it fluttered into the street. The guy who had been holding it chased after it. We both laughed.

"I guess the science-stuff and the ancestor-stuff weren't really getting along, and when Aria just took over, she cleaned up for me."

"Well, I'm glad you're on our side," said Wes. "Team Plasma has enough mutants on their team to-" He stopped, realizing what he had said. "Dude, I didn't mean."

"No…it's…its cool." I turned away, rubbing my arm nervously, though it looked like Wes did when I punched him. And just like my punch…that hurt. Just not on the outside.

"I'm gonna go for a walk, man, I'll…I'll see you later."


	7. Chapter 7: Humanity

Wes sat on the bench with his face in his hands. What had he done?

"You just called your best friend a mutant, that's what," he whispered to himself. Will had it hard enough already, being the mind-slave of some ancient spirit, and the almost literal slave of Team Plasma. Any progress they had made thus far from distracting Will from the indomitable fact that he wasn't human anymore had just gone down the drain.

"You look down," came a calm, light voice. Wes looked to his left. A man in a trench coat had just taken a seat next to him on the bench.

"Yeah, I kinda just struck a nerve with a friend; he's kinda depressed now…"

"And you feel guilty?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Wes, lifting his face from his hands. "It's a really sensitive topic, and he hasn't really had to deal with it for a while…"

"He's not mad at you, is he?"

"No…he's to in control to really get mad at me. He's just trying to get it off of his mind, that's all…"

"Is that true?"

"Huh?" Wes was a bit confused.

"Truthfully, is it because of what you said, or what he knows?"

"I…I guess…"

"Then ideally, you shouldn't blame yourself. Don't worry about what you did on the outside, but help him put to rest what he feels on the inside. You see, every solution is simple when you look at the simple standpoint of truth and ideals."

"Wow…that's pretty deep. Thanks, Mysterious Trench Coat Man!"

"No problem, Wes," he said and got up to leave.

"Yeah, well…wait, how did you know my name?" He was gone.

…

I kicked the can once more. The word "mutant" just kept ringing out in my head. That's what I was. I wasn't man anymore. I was a mutant. A science project. Literally a freak of nature. I didn't belong. My being didn't make sense. I was supposed to be dead. That's the way nature willed it, yet I defied that.

Maybe that's why the universe just keeps messing up my chances with Juno. It's slowly working up to my elimination. First it takes away love, then friends, until I'm completely isolated, and it makes me understand I don't have a place here. Then it'll kill me.

"You're being too skeptical and pessimistic," said my right side.

"No, he's right. He doesn't belong. He's a mutant," said my left. Funny, I always wanted to believe my right side, but my left was always louder and made me doubt the right.

Maybe the left is right…or not. What would Caitlin say?

_Don't be so down on yourself. If you fall down, especially if you've tripped over your own two feet, just pick yourself up. Don't lie down and let yourself be stomped further._

What about Burgundy?

_*French mumbo-jumbo* I highly doubt the universe would have time to mess with one person's life! It isn't all about you, ya know? Some people…_

I chuckled to myself. I could really use Burgundy's brand of tough love right now. When it comes down to it, the things she says really get me going…

"Will!" We caught up with me. "Dude, I'm sorry I-"

"Nah, it's cool, I'm over it." Wes looked proud and relieved. "In fact, why not embrace it? That's what Ariados Man and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Squirtles did! And everyone loves them. Well, except J. Jonah Jamison and…uh, who's the TMNS villain?"

"Uh…Scizor!"

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"What about Zubat Man?"

"Nah, he's just a regular guy. A regular billionaire guy."

We began walking back to the Pokémon Center.

"So, Will, are you a super hero in disguise?"

"Well, I'm not saying I'm Zubat Man…but Zubat Man and I have never been in the same room together, so…"

…

I felt so good when I entered the Pokémon Center these days. It feels like a second home at this point. You're never lonely; Pokémon Trainers of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds are always there, always willing to talk or battle. And you're never alone either; if you're in trouble, someone is willing to help. I loved this place.

Emile was chatting it up with the local Nurse Joy when we walked in. He noticed us, said something and winked, and then left.

"It took you two long enough," he said, stretching. "I had to get some extra girls' phone numbers to pass the time."

"You didn't get one, did you?" I asked skeptically.

"Not one. Well, Nurse Joy did-"

"Pokémon Center phone doesn't count."

"Yeesh," he said, scratching the back of his head. You Trainer types are tough customers."

"Is that a stereotype?" asked Wes.

"No, no, I'm just sayin…"

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Wes sat down on the couch. "So, Captain," he said, looking at me. "What're we doing tomorrow? We going for the Gym Badge?"

I sat down and thought. I hadn't done a lot of training lately…but on the other hand, I can't wait to leave this city…well, my Pokémon do need to get a little stronger…I told Wes and Emile my plan.

"Sounds good," said Wes, putting his feet up on the small coffee table. "I've heard that Route 116 is a local favorite spot to train. We could try there."

I nodded and took out my two Pokéballs. I hadn't really gotten a chance to use these guys yet…time to see everything they're made of.

…

"Mudkip, Water Gun!" Mudkip once again sent a jet of water into Treeko. Wes and I had been pitting our new starters against each other for close to an hour. This was Round 3: The Tie Breaker.

Treeko raised its arm to block the attack. Although there was a type disadvantage, Treeko could still only take so much.

"Treeko, Pound!" commanded Wes. Treeko dashed forward. When it reached Mudkip, it leapt in the air and spin, its tail coming around to bit Mudkip in the face.

"Mudkip, grab it!" Mudkip bit down on Treeko's tail.

"Now, fling it!" Mudkip swung its head from side to side, until finally letting go. Treeko sailed into the air, and came crashing down on the grass. It tried to get up and failed.

"Woohoo!" Mudkip and I did our equivalent of a high-five: it jumping up and slapping my outstretched hand with its tail.

"That was a good battle," said Wes, taking Treeko back into its Pokéball. I took a swig of water and nodded in agreement.

"So, where to next?" I asked Wes, who held the map. "We've been in this spot all day. I'm ready for a change in scenery."

Wes checked the map. "Well, we could go the Rusturf Tunnel. Maybe find some new Pokémon."

That sounded like a good idea. "Come on," I said, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. "Let's move out." I looked over at Emile. He had fallen fast asleep in the shade of a Pecha Tree.

"Just leave him," said Wes. We laughed and continued on down Route 116.

…

"Okay, this _may _have been a mistake," said Wes, bumping into me once more. The Rusturf Tunnel was covered in a thick blanket of fog, into which we had delved too deeply and gotten lost.

"Well, now what?" I asked. "Check your map."

Wes rolled his eyes. I assume. "Will, maps don't work like that! They don't light up and tell you where you are! Now, if we had a PokéNav…"

"I'm not ashamed."

We continued fumbling around in the fog, until me foot hit something. It was soft and round. I bent over and picked it up. It was a light purple Pokémon with floppy ears.

"Hey Dex?"

_Sorry. Can't see._

The Pokémon made a whimpering sound. "That good enough?"

_On it._

_Whismur_

_The Whisper Pokémon_

_Usually, its cries are like quiet murmurs. If frightened, it shrieks at the same volume as a jet plane._

We were both silent. "Did he just say jet plane?" asked Wes. And then the shrieking started. And not just from one Whismur.

…

Emile awoke to the sound of rustling. He slowly peeked his eyes open. A couple of police officers, as well as a well-dressed man and woman, were searching through the brush.

"What's going on?" he moaned as he got up.

The officers seemed startled at first, but calmed when the saw him. "Oh, Ranger. This man was mugged earlier," said one officer, pointing to the chubby male. "He was carrying important Devon Corp technology."

"We should check Rusturf Tunnel," said one of the officers.

"Rusturf Tunnel?" said Emile, scratching his head. "I just had a dream that my friends said that they were going there…or maybe they actually said that…"

…

The screaming had stopped, but the ringing didn't.

"Will, are you there?" yelled Wes.

"What!?"

"I said, are you there!?"

"Yes I'm scared!"

"Me too! But if anything, I think the screaming lifted the fog!"

"No, I don't need another dog, I have Arcanine!"

"What!?"

"I said I don't want any more pets!"

"Do you even have enough money to buy a corvette?"

"What!?"

I bumped into someone. I turned to see the same Team Aqua guy from before. He was clutching his head as well, and under his arm was a satchel.

"Did you steal that!?" I yelled.

"What?" he yelled back.

"I said did you steal that!?"

"Yes, I felt that, you bumped right into me!"

The ringing was beginning to subside. "Wait, you're that goon from before!" shouted Wes.

The man, not relying on sound now but vision, jumped back upon seeing us. He jumped into a partially foggy area, apparently scaring something. I covered my ears and prepared for another sound-wave, fluttering instead. The man flung out his arms in an attempt to trap the Wingull that was flying out from behind him, but to no avail.

"Peeko," said that bird as it settled on a rock.

"What did it just say?" asked Wes.

I face-palmed and sighed. "It said Peeko." Oh Arceus. "Hey, did you by chance steal this from an old man?"

"Y-yeah."

I sighed even louder. "Peeko is a bird. PEEKO IS A FREAKING WINGULL! ARE YOU SERIOUS! THAT GUY SENT ME TO FIND A WINGULL! I SAW 150 BEFORE I EVEN SET FOOT ON HOENN!"

"Buddy…" said the grunt. "Wanna calm it down…"

"NO! You would NOT believe the week I am having. I'm being chased by a crazy Zigzagoon, a crazy fan-girl, an evil organization, everyone seems to be coming to me with their problems, my girlfriend and I are going through a tough spot, I had an epiphany on my mortality, the biggest snob on the Earth seems to own this town, and to top it all off I HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU RIGHT NOW! SO YEAH, I'M KINDA STRESSED OUT!"

Wes, the grunt, and Peeko were all stunned, jaws (and beak) agape. I stood there, berating heavily.

"Dude, you didn't tell me you and Juno were having trouble," said Wes softly.

"We'll talk about it later." I focused back on the grunt. He shuddered when he met my gaze. I run at me. I prepared to fight, but he shoved the bag into my hands and ran away.

"Well," I said, looking at the bag. "That was a bit-anti climactic."

…

Steven slammed his fist down on his desk.

"What do you mean he didn't get it!?" He screamed into his intercom.

'I'm sayin' my grunt didn't come back with the good you promised!" came the gruff response. "Now, I ain't no college professor, but I know when I'm being two-timed."

"I'm not cheating you," said Steven. "That would be bad for business. So would just handing you the parts you need. That's why I sent my most incompetent employee to 'handle' them. It seems that you had the same idea."

"All my top-dogs were busy, okay? We'll find another way to make the exchange?"

"You seem desperate now," said Steven, an evil grin came to his face. "Which means my price just went up."

"Fine, fine, you'll get what you want. I know a spot we can meet. Dewford Town. I'll send your little sweetheart the details."

"I look forward to doing business." Steven took his finger off of the button. Almost immediately, it crackled again. He keyed the button.

"What?"

"Mr. Stone? May is here."

"How many times do I need to tell you she can come in whenever she wants?"

He sat back in his chair. A few minutes later, May entered his office.

"Where are we headed next, my love?" she asked, putting some files on his desk.

"Dewford Town. Arrange a transport."

"Already done." She slid one file closer to him and sat on the edge of the desk. "My research is coming along very well. Though I think the Ranger and his friends should be kept under watch."

He scoffed. "Waste resources on an Area Ranger and the garbage son of that Silph worker? Don't be too skeptical, love." He tickled the bottom of her chin. She giggled and slapped his hand.

"Stop it! You're so mischievous!" She tossed her hair to the side. "I ahte keeping our love a secret."

He swiveled his chair to face Rustboro City. "Soon, we won't have to. Soon shall come the new order."

May smiled. "And the return of the Goliaths."

**Mass Effect: Lies and Secrets Chapter 2 is out! You know, if anyone's interested...just sayin...**


	8. Chapter 8: Rock Solid?

I staggered out of the cave, my ears still bleeding a bit. I was met at the entrance by a couple of police officers and Emile. I looked over my shoulder at Peeko, who was perched there. "Okay, go home Peeko." It fluttered away. Emile looked confused.

"Was that…?"

"Yeah, that was Peeko."

"Okay…did you see an Aqua Grunt?" asked Emile. I nodded and held out the satchel.

"Uh…yeah. He had like six well trained Pokémon…all Legendary…had to beat them, like…with my fists…"

Emile crossed his arms. "He literally just handed it to you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did that." I tossed the bag to an officer, and looked over at Tim. "You know, Tim, I'd be more careful with this stuff if I were you. This is the second time it's been stolen in like, two days!"

Tim's face turned red ad he began to sweat. "I'm sorry, okay! Mr. Stone told me to wait on 22nd Street for someone to pick it up!"

"Who?" asked Emile skeptically.

"He said I'd-"

"No, no, which Mr. Stone?" interrupted Emile. "The CEO, or Steven."

Tim looked as if he was thinking for a moment. "Steven."

"And in the forest…what did he say to do there?"

"H-he said to wait in the forest, and someone-"

"-would pick it up," I finished. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Steven was setting poor Tim here up."

Wes began to channel his inner conspiracy theorist as well. "Tim, you were about to say who Steven wanted you to give the package to. Who was it?"

"Mr. Stone didn't tell me. He said 'You'll know him when you see him. Trust me.'"

Emile and I looked at each other. We were both thinking the same thing: trusting Steven probably wasn't the best thing to do.

"We've been staking out the spot where you were standing all day," said one of the officers. "No one has come by unless just passing. You contact never showed."

"We should investigate," said Emile, but a cop held up her hand.

"I'm sorry, Ranger, but you can't do that. This is a police investigation, and as you are only an Area Ranger, you cannot designate missions. Thank you for your support, though. We'll call you if we need you." And with that, they turned and left. Emile shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Agh, _es stupido! _I hate not being able to follow my leads!" He kicked at a loose stump. It went flying, and a couple of Skitty were scared into running away. Wes patted Emile on the shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry, man, someday you'll get promoted. I know it." Wes turned his gaze back at me. "Now, was there something you wanted to share?"

I puffed. I was hoping he'd forget about that… "Well, I was gonna sit down on that stump, but now…"

"You can stand," said Wes. I growled.

"Well, what is there to say? The whole 'honeymoon' phase is over; the magic's starting to wear off. It's nothing either of us is doing, and we don't like each other any less, but…"

I thought back to what Aria said about us having split her spirit inside our minds. Maybe it had something to do with that. Maybe once the whole…supernatural download thing was done, it kinda just wore off…

"You'll figure it out, little man," said Emile, bringing his confidence back for me. "Now come on, you've got a Gym battle to win."

…

"Mudkip, Water Gun!" The battle had just started. I was at an advantage with Mudkip, as it was a Water-Type, ad Roxanne was a Rock-Type user. Another advantage came in Roxanne's Pokémon relying solely on physical attacks, meaning my super-effective ranged attacks could whittle them down from a distance. But Rock-Types were hardy: it wouldn't be that simple.

Geodude was blasted back by another Water Gun when it tried to tackle. "Geodude, Rock Throw!" Geodude picked up a large rock and hurled it into the air.

"Mudkip, Mud Slap!" The dense clumps of mud were flung at a high velocity, making them as deadly as a bullet. The split the rock into pieces, showering Geodude with pebbles.

"Now, follow up with a Water Gun!" I commanded. Mudkip launched its stream of liquid at Geodude, giving it one last ride. It was out.

"Geodude is unable to battle," cried the ref, waving the green flag at my side. "The victory goes to Mudkip!"

"Next on won't be so easy!" cried Roxanne. "Go, Nosepass!" Her next Pokémon looked like an Easter Island Head with legs and a large, red nose. I forget what it was called, but I heard it had an evolved for with a pretty sweet moustache…

"Mudkip, Water Gun!" The geyser struck Nosepass right in the face, put it didn't budge.

"Nosepass, Take Down!" I knew there would be no stopping this guy from charging.

"Mudkip, out of the way!" Luckily, Mudkip was small and nimble, and able to move out of the way before the hulking figure of Nosepass crashed into the rock behind it. It staggered back, and then regained its stable footing. Which then gave me an idea.

"Mudkip, get in front of that rock!" I pointed to its destination, and it obeyed, just as Roxanne was ordering Nosepass to do another Take Down.

"No, jump out of the way!" Nosepass crashed into the rock, and when it staggered I yelled out a hurried order. "Now, Mud Slap at its feet!" The volley of mud pooled into a puddle at its feet, and it slipped and fell on its back. It flailed its rectangular arms in a circle, as if they worked only on an axis.

"Alright, Mudkip, get personal! Water gun!" 'Get Personal' was a, well, personal command I taught all of my Pokémon. It came to me after I punched a dinosaur in the face last year (long story). It means next attack goes right in the face.

Mudkip hopped onto Nosepass's face and smiled. Nosepass groaned as it knew what came next.

"Water Gun!" The power of the stream, as well as Mudkip's close vicinity sent it rocketing back. But no matter. It picked itself up and shook itself off just in time to hear:

"Nosepass is unable to battle! The victory goes to Mudkip and the battle to William!"

Roxanne took back Nosepass and walked over to me. "Wow, Will, that was a real pop-quiz of a battle! Looks like I'll have to study up some more before I rematch you," she said as she handed me the Stone Badge. "Which I will, by the way."

I smiled. "You got it, Roxanne."

…

May sat on Steven's lap on a couch in his office. They stared into each other's eyes and May giggled as Steve tickled her chin.

"I wish you weren't so busy," cooed May. "So we could do this more often."

"When we're done, we'll have all the time in the world," said Steven. Something on his desk buzzed. He sighed, and May slid off of him. "Well, there it is. I've got to get back to work." He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss May. May scowled at first, and reluctantly went for it. He got up to go back to his desk.

"Goodbye, love," he said.

She wiped her lips. "Bye!" she smiled, and walked out the door and around the corner. Once she was sure no one could see her, she gagged, and stopped at a water fountain. Not to drink, but to rinse her mouth. Every second she spent with that spoiled brat was time she'd never get back.

She walked into a computer room. She closed the shades on the window looking into the hall, and locked the door with the key Steven had given her. She then walked over to the window, giving a brilliant view of Rustboro City. Every window in the Devon Corp building gave a brilliant view of the city. But this one gave her the view of the place she needed to see: the exit.

As she looked, she finally saw three figures leaving the city: three boys. She sat down at a computer console, and took out the data she had gotten from her father. She plugged the flash drive into the console, and began typing the message.

_Not every stone is solid;_

_Water carves the stone-_

…

"-signed, Anonymous Season," I read. A mysterious message had been sent to my Pokégear on my way out of Rustboro.

"What d'you think it means?" asked Wes.

"I don't know. It didn't come with any text-back number, it was completely random."

"Well, what they said was true," said Emile. "Things such as waterfalls and rivers are formed by water flowing through rock. It cuts the rock as nature deems. So, no stone is truly solid."

"And stones can be broken…" I said to myself. Was this another clue to the Team Aqua thing?

"Maybe it was an accident," said Wes. "They could've meant to send it to someone else."

I shook my head. "This is us we're talking about. Do you really think it was an accident?"

"Point taken." My phone beeped again.

"Wait…hold on. There's something else…a map?"

Wes peeked over my shoulder. "What is it?"

"It's a map…of the caves in Dewford. There's a certain spot marked…I think it's worth checking out."

"As well as the medicine lady," Emile reminded me.

"Of course." Just as I put my phone back into my pocket, it started buzzing again.

"Is it more info."

"No…it's my mom." I answer. "Hello?"

_Hi, sweetie, it's Mom! How are you?_

"Good, Mom, how are you? How's Dad?"

_Oh, that's why I called! Your father just got promoted!_

"Oh, really? Well…that's great! Tell him I said I'm happy for him."

_Oh, I will. His design for robotic limbs finally was perfected. The CEO promoted him to Chief Executive! We're going out to dinner with your sister and Lance to celebrate._

"That's good. I'm sorry I can't be there, Mom."

_Oh, it's fine. Have fun, sweetie, stay safe!_

"Well," I said as I snapped my phone shut. "Steven can suck eggs. My dad just got promoted."

"That seems a little coincidental, don't you think?" said Emile. "I mean, you just had a discussion with Steven about the corporate ladder."

"Enough conspiracies, Emile. Can't you be happy for my dad? He's been working really hard for this promotion." I remember his original plan for getting promoted: the Master Ball, a Pokéball that could capture any Pokémon without fail. He had perfected its design, but just one was extremely difficult to make and required and ungodly amount of power. The Board had turned it down for mass production. He had given me his only complete one. I wonder if there are any others out there…and I wonder under what circumstance I'll ever have to use it…

"And if your dad decides to chop off your hand, Will, he can just make you a new one!" said Wes.

"You two must really like Star Wars," said Emile.

"Never leave home without the trilogy," I said, taking a few DVDs out of my backpack. "In fact, I know what we're doing on the boat ride to Dewford Town…"


	9. Chapter 9: What We Want to Know

"Dude, are you crying?" chuckled Wes as the final scene of _Return of the Jedi _began playing.

I sniffled. "No, it's just…there's salt from the saltwater…"

He smirked. "I thought you loved the ocean."

"So…"

It had been a smooth ride so far to Dewford Town. Mr. Briney was overjoyed at the return of Peeko, and let us ride on his boat, free of charge. Once the movie had ended, I took out my phone and began to check the map I had been sent.

"You lookin' at the map?" asked Emile. I nodded. "Well, what're we gonna do first?"

"I think we should check this place out first. I mean, who knows how long whatever's there is gonna…you know, be there. And it's on the way to the medicine lady you wanna meet, so it should be right on the way."

Emile nodded. "Sounds good." He went back to just sitting at a small table, hands folded. If anything, we were getting very close to finding this cure. And I was sure that this was the foremost thing on Emile's mind.

A heavy foghorn sounded.

"We must be getting close," said Wes, slinging his backpack around his shoulder. "Come on, let's get above deck."

…

Dewford Town reminded me a lot of Cinnabar Island. Well, before it blew up that is. It consisted of several houses and buildings, wrapped around a small forest area, which was wrapped around a medium-sized mountain. At the top, I could just glance a small cottage: most likely the dwelling of the medicine lady whom we sought.

As I leaned over the side to gaze out at the ocean (the…uh, salt wasn't bothering my eyes anymore…) I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to face Addison.

"Wha- how did you…when did you…"

She smiled and hugged me. I'm glad to see you too, sweetie!" I pushed her off into a pile of coiled ropes.

"Addison, why are you following me!?"

"I'm not _following _you, I just happened to be in the spot you needed to pass to get to Dewford Town, and decided to resume my progress towards Dewford Town immediately after you!"

I almost gave her that one: that was a pretty well thought out excuse for stalking. But I didn't want to encourage her.

"Can I hang out with you and your friends?" She stood up and held her hands in a pleading motion.

"Addison, I have work to do, and-" She stuck out her bottom lip, and cocked her head to the side. He big brown eyes quivered like saucer dishes. I groaned.

"Fine, but-"

"Yay!" She lunged at me and wrapped me in a hug, nearly snapping my spine. I guess that would kind of make us even. Though, she did get her payback. She wouldn't let go of me the whole rest of the way.

…

"Addison…you-can-let-go-now!" I struggled to get her off of me as we walked off of the boat and onto the white, sandy beaches of Dewford Town.

Addison finally let go and stood at my side, beaming. "I'm so glad I finally get to hang out with you! The ride her was _sooooo_ lonely! All I heard the whole time in that engine room with some horrible hissing…"

Wes and I looked at each other at the same time. "You don't think-"

I heard a snarl, and El Mapache Loco tackled me to the ground. I screamed in horror. Just as it was about to bite me, a silver blast of energy knocked it off of me, and deep out to sea. I saw a small splash when it landed. I looked up to face a Scizor, easing out of attack position.

"Having a rough day, William?" Juno walked over to me with her usual swagger.

I smiled. "Juno."

We hugged. "She we try?" she whispered in my ear.

"Nah. I guarantee you that thing will come right back and bite me in the leg if we do."

Wes waved. "Hey, Juno."

"Hey!" she waved back. She looked at Emile for a minute. "Do I know you?"

"You've probably seen me around the Ranger Union HQ a few times."

Juno nodded. "Probably." She then fixed her gaze on Addison. "And this is-?"

"Addison! His girlfriend!" she piped cheerfully. She looked me in the eyes.

"Fan-girl?"

"Fan-girl."

"Well, congrats! I still haven't gotten my first fan-boy yet…still holding out though." I chuckled.

"It'll happen soon. So, what brings you here?"

She motioned, and we began to walk with her. "About fifteen years ago, the cruise ship _SS Cactus _crashed a few clicks out from here." She gazed out into the ocean. We couldn't see it, but somewhere out there was the wreckage of a great ship. "I only just found out what it was. It was actually a science ship, the scientist secretly working on a project under the guise of technicians. The whole 'cruise' was, well, a ruse. The passengers had no idea what they were in for.

"Something went wrong in the lab, and it messed with the engines. Everyone got out in time, but the ship crashed into some rocks. Apparently, all evidence of the project was either taken with the escaping scientists, or lost in the wreckage. But the yet undamaged engine recently exploded when the ship shifted position. We're here to investigate the wreckage that's washed up on shore, to make sure it isn't damaged."

"Wow," said Emile. "Have you figured anything out yet?"

Juno shook her head. "No, but if we do, I doubt it'll be anything relevant to bad things going on today. It was most likely the design for some at the time high-tech thing, which has since been released. Like some sort of Pokéball or whatever. What are you guys up to?"

"Well, we got some anonymous tip that something's going on in the caves, and then we're off to find some medicine lady to help discover a cure for Rampant Pokérus. Then, I'll have my Gym battle with Brawly."

"Sweet!" said Juno. "Want me to send anyone with you into the caves?"

"It's all good, _bonita._ I'm a Ranger, I'll be alright," said Emile. Juno scowled and put her hands on her hips.

"Listen, pal, I don't know what you just said about me, but-"

"I just called you pretty."

She cocked her head to the side and smiled. "Oh, well that's sweet of you!"

Someone hollered something at her from across the beach. She turned, nodded, and then turned back. "Well, good luck with your thing, guys. I have to go." And with that she left. And so did we.

…

"It's dark!" said Ms. Stating-the-Obvious Addison for the millionth time.

"If we could do something about it, don't you think we WOULD HAVE!?" cried Wes.

"Will, stop bumping into me!" said Emile.

"I…I'm over here…"

I heard Emile fumble in his pocket for a match. He light it. We all jumped back and screamed in surprise. A stout, yellow Pokémon stood before us. It had stubby legs, had fists that looked like boxing gloves, and a tubby little body. It waved.

I slowly raised Dex to identify it.

_Makuhita_

_The Guts Pokémon_

_It toughens its body by slamming into thick trees. Many snapped trees can be found near its nest._

"H-hey there, buddy," said a shaken Wes.

"Ku!"

"Uh…we're a little busy right now, pal," I said. "Wanna…wanna come back later?"

"Ku!" And with that, he turned and left. We all stood in silence for a moment.

"Dude, that was freaky," said Wes.

…

"Thank you for your patronage," said Steven as he handed the package to Shelly, the Team Aqua Admin. She shook it in her hands, checking the contents and the weight.

"Don't do that, you Neanderthal!" cried Steven, arms outstretched. "Those components are extremely fragile.

"Then how am I s'posed to know you ain't dupein' us?" asked Shelly, motioning to open it.

"Don't open it either! Like I said, the things inside are very, very fragile. The moist, damp environment of these caves are bad for what's inside. On drop of water from the ceiling and everything is ruined! And besides, do you think I would try to outsmart someone as…uh…cunning as you?"

Shelly looked at him proudly, and then stored the package away. "No, I reckon you wouldn't." She waved to her entourage. "C'mon, ya'll, let's get!"

"Sir!" An Aqua grunt ran into the cavern. "We've got movement near the tunnels leading up here!"

Steven turned to May, who was sitting on a rock. She hopped off. "May, detonate the charges after Shelly and her people leave!"

"But won't that…kill the intruders?" But they aren't here yet…

"That's the point!" he hissed. He turned back to Shelly. "Go, quickly!" They hurried off. He turned back to May and nodded.

She bit her bottom lip. She hoped her plan worked…and pressed the button.

…

"Hey, guys, look what I found!" We had fanned out looking at the array of tunnels before us. One lead to the place the map directed us, the other to the top, and all the others to dead ends and random locations. We all returned to Addison, who was holding something in her hand.

"I found it in a puddle of water in one of the tunnels!" Emile examined it. All of a sudden, in all of the tunnels except the one Addison was standing in front of, little lights began to flash and beep. Emile looked at us, horror on his face.

"It's a bomb!" Addison shrieked and dropped it. It started to beep too.

"No!" cried Emile. "The water it was in caused some functions not to work! Whatever is remotely detonating these, this one would've stayed unexploded!"

"Sorry!" cried Addison.

"What do we do?" yelled Wes. "Do we go back?"

Emile shook his head. "No, the cave in will go down that slope we just came up! It'll overrun us. We have to go through this tunnel, now!" And just as we began to rush through, the explosions started.

I looked up at the ceiling of our tunnel. Rocks were falling down. About to pile up on Addison and I.

"GO!" I shouted, and shoved her out of the way, just as rocks began to fall down all around me. I fell onto my knees, clutching my head in a vain attempt to cover it. And just as I knew I'd be crushed, I felt a heavy force push me down. It almost felt soft and squishy. And then I blacked out…

…

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping. I sat up, and clutched my head. It hurt. I was in the forest, though. Last I knew, I was in the cave in. And something fell on me…

"Ku!" I looked over to see Makuhita. It smiled.

"You…you saved me?"

"Ku!" I pat him on the head.

"Thanks, buddy!" I looked over at the mountain. Emile, Wes, and Addison were still alive. I knew it. I tried to stand up, but had to lean on Makuhita for support.

"Come on," I said, beginning to limp forward. "We need to get to town and get Juno…"

…

When I reached the tent that the Rangers had set up on the beach, the two guarding the outside saw it was me, and then let me in. Piles of metal and machinery lined the walls. At the furthest end was Juno, leaning over a cracked computer console.

"Juno, something's happened," I said as I limped towards her.

She nodded. "Something did happen."

"You know?"

"I wish I did." I looked at her face. It was a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Juno…what does that console say?"

She gulped and read. "I've only got a little, but… '-and the Board of Directors demands the immediate cease of study on the Blue Orb, and…and the termination of Project Juno."


	10. Chapter 10: Hope-Anew and Renewed

Juno drew in slow, steady breaths as she studied the console. Project Juno…what could that be?

"Juno…it could just be a coincidence or-"

"Do you really think it is!?" She snapped at me, but then realized what she had done and returned to her nervous state, turning back to her console and biting her index finger.

"It can't be," she returned softly. "Fifteen years ago this happened. Fifteen years ago, we were born. We have some special connection with Aria; she had something to do with the Blue Orb." She clutched her forehead. "We keep getting more piled onto this mystery, but nothing helps make sense!"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "You're right, Juno, it doesn't make sense. But that's not all you're right about. _We _have some sort of special connection with Aria and the Blue Orb. We're both in this together. Sooner or later, we're going to have a revelation. And then this'll all make sense."

Juno nodded, and continued to fiddle with the machine. She stared intently at data scrolling up and down. I peered over her shoulder. Most of it was scrambled letters, not making sense.

"There's gotta be a list of the people involved somewhere…"

While she looked, I sat down and thought. During one of my conversations with Aria, she had said that her being was split between Juno and I, and our coming together finally started to put her back together. Ultimately, it was my attempt to connect with Juno's mind that one time that completely freed her. And then she had said that the part of her I had carried was the most important part. The key. But what part was that…

"Aha!" Juno exclaimed. I shot up, and winced as I was painfully reminded of my injury. I hobbled over to Juno.

"We've caught a break, Will!" She pointed at the screen. "I could only get one name, but he happens to be in this region, not too far from here!" I read the name: Doctor Harold Wattson.

"Hm," I scratched my chin. "That name sounds familiar…"

"He's the Gym leader of Mauville. I say we pack it up right now and head there."

"Well, there's still my Gym battle…" I snapped my fingers. "Wes, Emile, and Addison! They're still trapped in those caves!"

Juno stood up and grabbed her Styler, strapping it to her wrist. "Then let's go!"

…

Emile struck another match, illuminating a small area around them. Their way back was blocked by rocks, but the entire tunnel had not caved in: they could still go forward.

Wes sat down on a rock and slapped the front of his legs in frustration. "Way to go, Addison! Now we're trapped over here, and Will's trapped over there!"

"I'm sorry!" she cried. "If you knew you were holding an unexploded bomb, what would you do?"

Wes thought for a moment. "Okay, I suppose that's a checkmate."

Addison flattened her palms on the wall of rocks and started wailing. "My poor baby's on the other side of this wall, cold, dark, and alone! He probably can't stand being separated from me!"

"If I were Will, this wall would be my best friend right now," Wes mumbled into Emile's ear.

"All jokes aside, we need to figure out what to do next," said Emile.

"I think it's pretty clear which way we _aren't_ going," said Wes, standing up and pointing towards the other end of the tunnel, "This is the way we wanted to go; we might as well continue up."

Emile scratched his head. "I guess so…"

Wes began to walk in that direction, but dripped over something. I slowly got back up, to face a small, silver creature. It looked up at him and blinked.

"Did I…get hit on the head," he asked, backing up a little, "Because it looks as if a paperweight is staring at me…"

"I think it's an Aron," said Addison. "My sister's boss is a Steel-Type Gym Leader, so she knows a lot about these things.

Emile kicked a small rock, and it hit Aron in the head, bouncing off with a small _PING! _"Too bad Dex isn't here…"

"Yeah," Wes said sarcastically. "_Too bad_…"

"Oh, oh!" Addison jumped up and down, waving her hand. "I can do it, I can do it!" She cleared her throat.

_Aron_

_The…uh…Little Metal Guy Pokémon_

_Aron…lives in a cave…and has four legs…and, uh…_

Aron toddled over to a small rock and nibbled on it.

_-and he eats rocks!_

Wes took out a Pokéball. "Well, in the interest of staying even with Will in case he want to battle me, I'm-a catch it."

He did so, and they continued on.

…

When they reached the top, they saw a small, quant little cottage. Smoke puffed out of the chimney. A garden containing all sorts of outlandish plants, mushrooms, vines, and other things grew there.

Wes and Emile looked at each other, arguing with hand gestures on who should knock on the door. Wes pointed at Addison, who threw her hands up in defense.

"Hey, don't ask the poor little girl with the neck brace!" she whispered.

Emile groaned and slowly climbed the porch steps and knocked on the door.

"Come on in, now," came a kindly voice. "Door's open."

They all slowly crept in. The house smelled of…everything. Plants overtook every table in the one large room that was the house. Some dangled in baskets from the ceiling. Also on the tables were Bunsen burners, vials of chemicals and other such science supplies. Hunched over one of the tables was a short old lady, wearing a white lab coat. She had a plume of white hair on her head. She was old and wrinkly. She turned to face them. The goggles she wore made her eyes pop out.

She cackled, revealing only a few teeth. "Well, it's 'bout time I got some visitors up here! I get so lonesome sometimes. Just the plants and I! Oh, and Skitty of course." She turned to the Skitty napping on a set of wooden stairs leading to some sort of loft. Its tail dangled over the edge. "Skitty, say hello."

It meowed. "Now, what can I do you children for? Want some cookies? I just made some."

Wes was about to raise his hand, but Emile shoved it back down before the old woman could notice. He shook his head.

Addison was doing some sort of dance, scratching herself frantically in all sorts of places. "Ooh…I'm having at least ten allergic reactions right now…"

"Okay, no cookies then? Why did you children venture all the way up here?"

"Uh, Mrs.," stammered Emile. The woman waved her hand.

"Oh, just call me Granny."

"Uh…Granny? We came up here to find a cure-"

"Cure-"she cackled. "Now why didn't ya say so, son? I got all the cures up here! Which one ya need?"

"Um…for Rampant Pokérus in humans. And Pokémon for that matter."

"Rampant Pokérus you say?" Emile tensed up, like she was about to give an answer he didn't want. "That was an easy one! I spent an afternoon curin' that! I spent the rest of the day doin' that crossword puzzle I had so much trouble with. I couldn't remember who won the Hoenn League 23 years ago, but I asked old Mrs. Heart, and she said-"

Emile tried waiting patiently for the old woman to finish, but he couldn't hold in his excitement. "Granny, can we have the cure."

"The cure? Oh, I don't have n'more."

"WHAT!?"

Wes put his hand on Emile's shoulder. "Dude, relax. We won't have come all this way for nothing." Wes turned to Granny. "Granny, why don't you have the cure?"

"A nice young man asked me for it."

"Who?"

"We'll, let's see." She stopped to think. "He was a well-dressed boy, very nice manners. He had a pretty young lady with her, what was her name…April? No, June! The boy's name…was Steven! Yes, Steven Stone!"

"Steven…" said Wes. "What would Steven want with a cure?"

"He could want to mass produce it?" said Addison, still scratching up a storm.

"Why would he wait so long though?" asked Emile.

"Maybe to wait until the need it so dire that everyone _has _to buy it. Even so, that's an evil technique…"

"If ya'll want a list of ingredients, I could spare it," said Granny, shuffling through some papers, and holding them close to her eyes. "Now let's see…Pidgey Pox, Swinub Flu, Common Cold, Uncommon Cold…aha!" She held up a crumpled piece of paper. She shuffled across the room and handed it to Emile.

"Now, here you go son. Be careful with it, and once you gather all the ingredients that I don't have, bring 'em back and I'll whip up a cure. Maybe even some Nanab bread too!"

Emile surveyed the list, and nodded. "Thanks so much, _abuela_! If there's anything we can do-"

"No, no, I couldn't impose. I'm doin' this by my own grace, not to stack favors." As they turned to leave, Granny noticed Addison. "Oh, sweetie, did you hurt yourself?"

Addison felt her neck brace. "Yeah, I fell and hurt my neck." Granny shuffled over and took off the neck brace. She then plucked a leaf off of a plant, crushed it, and rubbed the oil on Addison's neck.

"That'll help your muscles, sweetie."

Addison felt her neck. "Wow, thanks Granny!"

Emile whistled. "C'mon, let's go. We don't wanna keep Will waiting!"

…

"The Gym battle between William Grey of Viridian City and Brawly of Dewford Town will now commence!"

We had both chosen Makuhita. In the stands sat Juno, Wes, Emile, and Addison, the latter three having returned from the medicine lady's cottage with what they needed (there had been a road leading down the mountain THE WHOLE TIME!)

"Makuhita, Brick Break!" cried Brawly. His Pokémon's arm glowed and it rushed forward.

"Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" When it got close enough, my Pokémon gave a nasty uppercut to Brawly's, knocking it back.

"Now, do some…wrestling thing or whatever." The both entered a boxing stance, holding up the arms as if they were actually boxing gloves. Brawly's Makuhita jabbed, but mine blocked. Mine sent two quick jabs: one blocked, but one hit. When Brawly's Makuhita was stunned, mine ran behind it and wrapped it in a Full-Nelson.

"Now, do some…uh…wrestling flip-thing!" I didn't watch a lot of wrestling. Makuhita flipped its opponent back, smashing it on its head.

"Brawly's Makuhita is unable to battle! The victory foes to Will's!"

"Ku!" cried Makuhita as I returned it. Brawly sent out his next Pokémon: Meditite.

"Okay, Mudkip, take it home!"

The battle resumed. "Meditite, Bide!" Meditite hugged itself and glowed. I was unfamiliar with the move.

"Mudkip, Water Gun!" Meditite was pushed back, but still remained in its protective bubble. I scratched my head. What a dumb move…

"Mudkip, Water Gun again!" It was pushed further. But that was kinda the point of Bide…

It unleashed a stream of orange energy at Mudkip, knocking it back, three times as far as it had done to Meditite. Makes sense, I guess.

"Mudkip, get up buddy!" It struggled to its feet, and then started to glow. It got a little taller, and its tail split and grew in two directions. Its head-fin now looked kind of like a Mohawk.

"Tomp!" it exclaimed. I flipped Dex open.

_Marshtomp_

_The Mud Fish Pokémon_

_Its sturdy legs give it sure footing, even in mud. It burrows into dirt to sleep._

"Woohoo!" cheered Addison from the stands. "You can do it, sweetie!"

I turned to Marshtomp, who had turned to me. "Just ignore her. Water Gun!" A now bolstered stream of water exited Marshtomp's mouth, slamming into Meditite. It stumbled backwards a bit on its feet after doing a flip, but then fell down.

"Meditite is unable to battle! The victory goes to Mudki-I mean Marshtomp, and the battle to William!"

Brawly winked and flicked me my Knuckle Bade. I watched it gleam in the air, and then caught it in my palm.

"You're ¼ done, dude!" cried Brawly. "Ride the wave, dude, I'll be cheerin'!"

I met with my friends on the way out. Addison wrapped herself around me.

"That was amazing, sweetie-pie! I can't wait to see all of your Gym battles!" All of my friends looked at me angrily. I gave them an "I'll deal with it," look.

"Addison, hey, I left my wallet at the Pokémon Center. Can you run and get it for me?"

"Anything for you!" She ran off into the sunset, towards the Pokémon Center. We watched her go for a minute.

"There is no wallet, is there?" asked Juno.

"I don't even own a wallet."


	11. Chapter 11: Friends-Old and New

I leaned over the railing of the ship, and gazed out at the open sea, as I had done so many times in the past few weeks. I really liked Hoenn more than I thought I would: plenty of opportunities to be near water. To be calm, at peace with myself. At peace with my surroundings.

I saw a pod of porpoise like Pokémon, Lanturn I believe they were called, gleefully hopping out of the water and twirling in the air. I saw a mighty Wailord, one of the largest Pokémon known to man, breach to take in another mighty breath, which would last it for hours underwater. And then I saw the ship.

The _SS Cactus _was a miserable sight. She was cracked in half over the large rock spires, sagging and rusting, with clear signs of age and damage from all the years of repent of its death. To think that once was a place where people celebrated and enjoyed themselves could end up like this was hard to imagine.

As was the fact that this somehow connected Juno and I to Aria and the Blue Orb. One way or another, we'd find out. And Juno was sure of that too.

At the front of the ship, for the past few hours, she and Emile had been sparring. I could hardly keep track of the flurry of punches and kicks that they were sending each other's way. Rangers were an amazing sight to see in action. Kind of explains why the Justicars wanted a piece of them.

The Justicars were a super-secret sect of the Rangers: a black-ops group of the highest order. They were the Top Rangers of their time. They were given complete sovereignty over their missions; an easier task than finding out what they could do legally was finding what they couldn't do. Justicars were untouchable, allowed to do anything and everything to get the mission done. Only a handful of people knew about them, and even less knew what they did.

But the Justicars started to grow distant from the Ranger Corps. They began to think that they were the only ones who could get stuff done, and that Area Rangers were just glorified cops. So they took over High Command of the Rangers. Within minutes, they had accomplished their mission.

Previous to their mission, they had done prep work. An emergency beacon had been tripped, recalling all Rangers. The Rangers thought there was an emergency, and were completely off guard when the Justicars sprung their trap. The base locked down, trapping all Rangers inside.

Only a handful weren't captured, and luckily enough, Chairperson Erma and Professor Hastings had avoided the fall of the Ranger Union as well. Along with the aid of several regions, and lead by the Rangers, they set out to beat the Justicars.

But the Justicars had allies as well. For half a decade, a war raged, with the Rangers eventually coming out on top. The Ranger Union was re-established, the Justicars disbanded, and the Top Rangers founded in their place. The Rangers who had lead the Alliance were named the first Top Rangers.

Over the years, the Alliance disbanded, and regions once again grew distant. That story always fascinated me. That the only thing that could pull humans together was war. Sadly, that was also what pushed us apart.

I was snapped out of my funk by a buzz. It was my phone. Checking the return address, I found it was a voice-message from Anonymous Season. I listened to it.

"Guys!" I called as I ran to my friends. "You should listen to this!"

…

"_Soon, we won't have to_," said the first voice in the recording, "_Soon shall come the new order."_

"_And the return of the Goliaths." _Said the second. A female voice.

"That second voice…" said Wes, tapping his chin. "We've heard that. It was…" he snapped his fingers, and we both spoke at the same time. "May!"

"The first one was Steven," I continued. "I'd recognize that voice anywhere."

"They're conspiring together…on what though?" asked Juno.

"Something about a new order…and Goliaths? What are those?"

"They sound familiar…" I took out my Pokédex. "Dex, bring up all information you've got on 'Goliaths.'"

_This comes from that book you had me copy:_

_The Goliaths of Terra, otherwise known as the Weather Trio, are the Legendary Pokémon Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza. Their ancient struggle is a popular religious belief on how the continents, oceans, and skies came to be._

"They want to bring back ancient gods that might not even exist?" said Emile. "What would they gain from that?"

I could very perfectly imagine Steven standing atop his building in Rustboro, laughing manically as fires raged from Groudon, and water swept over cities from Kyogre, forcing the poor citizens of the world to buy Devon Corp. products.

"And May…I really thought she was on our side," said a puzzled Wes, pacing back and forth. "She seemed really intent on finding that cure."

Emile snapped his fingers and shot back up. "Come to think of it, so did Steven! Granny said he asked for the cure for RP!"

That wasn't like him at all. Knowing Steven, the first thing he'd probably do was dish out the cure so he could take credit for it and advance his position in the business world. If not that, he'd withhold it until the need is dire, and then sell it at a fixed price. That option could still exist…but why would he hold it for this long if not that?

"I think we need to have a word with this 'May'," said Juno.

"I agree."

But my agreement was cut short by a foghorn: we had arrived in Slateport City.

…

The crowds of people at the Slateport docks were crazy. There was a sea of people bordering a sea of…well, and actual sea. Seemed pretty ironic to me. I could hear cries of Wingull over the hordes: this city had an even bigger beach presence than Dewford. Other than that, it was a typical city, with shipyards, and open market, and I've heard it had a pretty sweet sea museum.

I looked around for my friends, for I had lost them in the crowd. I found them, sort of. I bumped into someone.

"_grâce de Dieu!_" They exclaimed. "Watch where you're going!" I looked down at the person, noticing her unmistakable purple hair.

"Wha-Burgundy!"

"Will! You really need to watch where you're going!" I laughed and hugged her. She hugged me back.

"It's so good to see you!"

"Was that a water joke?" she asked in her usual motherly tone. "Because if it is, I totally saw it coming!"

I chuckled, thinking about how much I missed Burgundy, and how much I was going to miss her being gone. "No, I meant _see _as in with an 'e'."

"So, where is everyone?"

"I was hoping you could help with that."

Her solution was definitely not what I had in mind. I thought maybe call out there names. But get up on my shoulders and look works too. After a few minutes of strain on my neck, she finally pointed.

"There! I see Juno's head!" We broke from the crown (no, not hungry like the wolf) and met up with Wes and Juno, who had been waiting in a small group.

"Burgundy!" Wes exclaimed. "What's up?"

"Oh, so much to tell!" She tried giving him a high five from her elevated position.

"Just get down!" I commanded. I looked around. "Where's Emile?"

"He went to go get some churros," said Juno, pointing towards the market stalls. "He should be back in a minute."

Burgundy looked over, and noticed Emile walking back. "Oh," she said, fanning herself with her hand. "He looks…strong…"

Emile came back, chomping on a churro. "Who's this," he asked, mouth full.

"This is Burgundy," I said, introducing the two. "Burgundy, Emile the Pokémon Ranger. Emile, Burgundy the Waitress."

She stomped her foot and puffed out her cheeks. This whole time she had been gone I had been waiting to do that…"I'M A CONNAISSEUSE!" She dug into her pocket. "Speaking of which…" She pulled out a round, blue badge. "I got it back! And I got promoted!"

"Wow!" I high-fived her. "Nice job!"

She blushed and did a pageant wave. "Oh, thank you, thank you all. Anyway, I got this baby back, stayed with my family in Castelia for a little while, and then came back. And I caught this cutie-pie when I got here!"

She sent out a Skitty. It curled around her leg and purred. "Don't you want to identify it?"

"Nah, I've already seen like four."

"So," said Burgundy, sending back Skitty. "We should do something today. Like, we could got to the beach-"

"No!" I immediately protested. I hated the beach. "No beaches! Try again!"

"O-okay…" she snapped her fingers. "I heard there was a Pokémon Contest on in town! We can check that out!"

Wes and Emile both looked at each other, and shrugged. '"Sure. Sounds good."

As we were about to turn and leave, I felt Juno grab my arm. I turned to face her. Her expression was stern.

"Will, we can't waste time just goofing around. Remember: Mauville."

I nodded, and she released me. "Listen, I promise we'll get there. For you. For both of us." We stood there for a moment, both of us considering a kiss. But we both knew we'd most likely be trampled by the crowd, and just continued on.

…

"Well, one thing I didn't miss about Burgundy not being here," said Wes as we trudged through the city, "-was the constant getting lost…"

"Hey! I'm still learning how to use this thing!" said Burgundy, staring intently at the small device and tapping it. I leaned over to her.

"Is that a PokéNav?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" I nonchalantly took it from her, and held it as high as my arm could go. She protested and jumped up and down, unable to reach it while I sent out Marshtomp. I hurled the PokéNav as far as possible. Marshtomp tracked the dot fading into the distance, and launched a Water Gun. The device shattered into a million pieces.

I returned Marshtomp to its ball. "And that, kids, it the proper use and disposal of a PokéNav." I looked over at Burgundy. Her jaw was almost touching the ground. "You know, you should be thanking me…"

She kicked me in the shin and moved on. I hopped up and down on one leg, grabbing my wounded one when I felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned to face a Trainer I had never met before. He wore jeans a leather jacket over a yellow T-Shirt. He had spikey red hair.

"Hey, that Marshtomp sure is something else," he said, genuinely impressed.

"Thanks, we've trained a lot together." He held out a hand.

"Cage." I took it and shook it.

"Cage, huh? Is that you first name or-"

"Nope. Last name," he said, confirming my question.

"Is your first name Nicholas, per chance?" piped Burgundy. He shook his head. Burgundy sulked.

"It's Walter. But most people call me Cage."

"Well, nice to meet you, Cage," said Wes. We all introduced ourselves.

"Well, like I was saying, your Marshtomp was pretty awesome. Wanna battle after the Contest?"

"Yeah, sure-…wait a second, how did you know we were going there?"

He laughed and shrugged. "Didn't. I am. My little sister's been begging me to take her, and I finally got the chance." He looked behind him. "Isn't that right, Molly?"

A little girl with a mop of red hair peered around Cage's legs. None of us had noticed her prior to that; she had been so quiet. She nodded when Cage asked her the question, and then re-hid herself.

"Aw," said Juno, bending down and putting her hands on her knees. "You don't need to be shy, cutie. We won't bite; we just ate lunch." I don't really think this was the time for Juno's brand of humor. To be fair, that's my brand of humor to…

"Don't go jumping to conclusions," said Cage with a smile. "These Contests just get her going! She just talks and talks and talks when there's a Contest on TV." He picked her up and playfully messed up her hair. She laughed as Cage put her up on his shoulders.

"Well, how about that battle?"

"Sure!" I said without hesitation. "Where can we fight?"

He pointed down the street we were headed. "That's the direction of the Contest Hall. Behind it are some battlefields we could use. Meet us there."

"Sounds good. Hey, we can walk down together."

We all started to go, but then Wes spoke.

"Uh, guys, if it's okay, I'd rather not…I'm not really a big Contest fan, you know…"

"That's fine," said Juno. "What're you gonna do alone?"

"I think I'll go check out the museum," he said, pointing back the way we came. "I'll meet you in time for the battle."

Cage smirked. "I'd hope so. I can tell it'll be a good one!"

And with that, we parted ways.

…

"No way!" exclaimed Burgundy. We were in the contest hall and had already bought our tickets. Burgundy had picked up an informational booklet and was reading it. We all gathered around her and looked to where she was pointing.

"Guess who's participating in this contest?" I looked at the name: Kayla Tanner.

"Hey, no way!" I said. So Kayla really did turn her life around. I was so happy.

"Say's here she's won two Ribbons so far," said Burgundy. "I think those are like Badges for Coordinators. How many does she need to enter the tournament?"

"Five," answered Cage, "and it's called the Grand Festival." He stopped when Molly whispered something in his ear. "Turns out Molly's favorite Coordinator is Kayla. How lucky are we?"

I smiled. "More lucky than you think. Kayla's an old friend." I smiled at Molly. "If you want, I could probably introduce you…"

Molly blushed, and whispered something else in Cage's ear. "She'd love that," he translated.


	12. Chapter 12: A Good Performance

Kayla sat in the small room she was granted to get changed and prepare for the contest. She sat on a small stool in front of a mirror and table, where her cosmetic supplies were spread over. Taped to the mirror were messages from her friends and family, all wishing her good luck.

She heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she said as she applied another curl to her hair."

I walked in, holding a bouquet of roses. Cage followed me, holding Molly's hand.

"Will!" she exclaimed, standing and stretching her arms. I embraced her in a hug and gave her the flowers. Cage entered behind me, followed by Molly, tightly holding on to the back of his pants.

"Who's this?" asked Kayla with a smile.

"This is Cage," I said. He raised his hand to say hello. Kayla caught Molly peeking out from around Cage with the corner of her eye. Kayla leaned forward a bit, and Molly shrunk back behind Cage.

"And who's this little cutie?"

"That's Molly," said Cage, putting his hand on the back of her head and gently easing her forward. "Say hi, Molly." Molly slowly walked out from behind her brother. She stopped a few feet in front of Kayla, and stopped. She looked at her feet nervously.

"She's a big fan of yours," I said. Kayla smiled and got down on her knees in front of Molly.

"It's so nice of you to come visit me, Molly. I love it when people visit me." Molly looked up a bit, her face still nervous and uncertain.

"Tell you what," said Kayla, taking Molly's small hands in one of hers. "How about I show you the Pokémon I'm going to use today-," she leaned in close and audibly whispered. "-but it's a secret. Only you get to know!"

Molly smiled and nodded her head vigorously. She turned as if to ask Cage from permission, but he simply smiled. "Fine by me."

"But you two have to go," said Kayla, sitting back up and reaching for her Pokéballs. "This is a secret. No boys allowed, right Molly?"

Molly nodded again, and moved closer to Kayla. Cage and I left the room, and shut the door behind us.

"That was really nice of her," said Cage, leaning up against the wall. "Letting my sister see her Pokémon like that, I mean. You know, a lot of celebrities don't do that."

"Don't do what?" I was confused. As my friends and I were pseudo-outcasts in school, we didn't go with popular trends. We did our own thing, and didn't pay much mind to what was "in."

"I mean, they make it so these little girls idolize them, and then they make it apparent as they grow older that they can never be like this; that they can never do these things. It's almost antagonizing them." Cage paused for a minute. We heard a delighted squeal from Molly within the room. "I love people like Kayla. Encouraging others to live their dream, not just flaunting it."

The door opened, and Molly ran out to her brother. She grabbed on to the front of his legs, and he hoisted her back up onto his shoulders, as must've been the norm for the two. She whispered into his ear.

"She says 'Thank You'" said Cage. "To you and to Kayla."

"No problem! Did you have fun?" she nodded. I looked into the room. Kayla motioned to me.

"Well," said Cage, recognizing her desire to speak with me. "We're gonna go to our seats. See you around!"

I waved, and we parted ways. I entered Kayla's room, and shut the door.

"What nice people," said Kayla, turning back to her mirror and finishing doing her hair. "You certainly do meet nice people on your travels."

I nodded. "Kayla, I don't want to sound like a parent or an older brother, but I'm really proud of you. Proud that you turned everything around."

She smiled. I only caught the reflection, though: I think she intended it to be that way, though. "No, I don't think that at all! In fact, I can never thank you enough. Without your talk, I wouldn't have found my dream." She turned to me. "I love people like you, Will. Encouraging others to live their dream, not just flaunting it."

I half-giggled at the irony of the situation. "Well, I'm glad we could talk, Kayla. Good luck. Burgundy, Juno, and I will be there today."

"Great! We'll try extra hard, just for you."

It was now confirmed that she hadn't just been saying those things: she had taken my talk to heart. "I can't wait."

…

Wes finally made it to the museum, on the eastern section of Slateport City. As he approached, he noticed a long line, stretching out of the building.

"That's odd," he had said to himself as he approached. "I didn't know this many people would crowd the museum…"

He got in line and took out his phone to check his messages. Might as well. Nothing new…no new e-mails…maybe he'd check his news feed while he waited…

He unconsciously took a step forward, thinking the line had moved. He bumped into the person in front of him.

"'Ey, watch it!" shouted the man. He wore a black and white striped shirt, as well as dark blue slacks and a blue bandana.

"Sorry, my bad." The man grumbled and turned back around.

Black and white shirt…blue bandana…why was that familiar…

…and why were they all wearing them? The entire line was comprised of people wearing the getup. Maybe the museum was being rented out for some event…

"Hey, wait a second!"

…

The audience all cheered and roared with applause as Kayla took a bow. Her Venusaur had but on a spectacular performance. You know, as a Trainer, I had never really considered a Pokémon's attacks and abilities as having a factor of beauty and appeal; only effectiveness and strategy (and no offense, especially not from a Pokémon like Venusaur).

Molly, sitting on Cage's lap, cheered with childlike delight and clapped her hands together. I saw Cage looking down at her, his face affectionate and happy. I could tell he relished these moments when Molly was a cheerful little girl instead of shy and timid.

I was just about to lean forward to hear the judge's rate Kayla's performance, when I felt my phone vibrate. There was a new text from Wes.

_Will:_

_Team Aqua at museum_

_Plotting something_

_Come back me jipoik…_

I gasped. No one really noticed, as the city's Nurse Joy was commenting and scoring Kayla's use of Petal Dance and Solarbeam. I tapped Juno on the shoulder, and mouthed "We have to go!" She nodded, understanding that it must be urgent, and we got up and left.

"What's up?" she said as she caught up to me. We were both now running down the hallway.

"Wes sent me a text," I said, tossing her my phone.

"Okay, I get the Team Aqua part, but…'jipoik'? Is that Portuguese?"

"I assume he was going to say 'Come back me up,' but was interrupted. All of those letters are near the 'u' and 'p' keys on a keypad," I said, explaining my thesis.

"Makes sense. But if he was interrupted…" We hastened our pace.

…

We reached the museum about fifteen minutes later. No one in the area seemed alarmed; I saw no police or reporters. I then realized that it couldn't be a hostage situation if no one knew what was happening.

I motioned for Juno to slow down. "Why?" she demanded. "Wes is in there! We have to-"

"No. No one knows Team Aqua is even here. I doubt most people have never heard of them. We can't make it obvious that we know something's up."

We both stopped, and surveyed the museum casually. There were two Team Aqua guards stationed outside the entrance. I had a plan.

"Juno," I said, walking to a position where it my back was facing the museum. "Make it look like you're arguing with me," I said, adding in a few frantic hand gestures and arm waves.

"Wha-why?"

"Just do it!"

She put her hands on her hips and leaned in a little closer. "You have a plan?" she said, bobbing her head to the side a little to make it look like she was angry.

"You took drama in school, right?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"Did you have an improv unit?"

"Uh…yeah! That was actually pretty fun!"

"Follow me, and follow my lead." I turned and waved my arm at her like we were finished talking. I hoped she did something to look like it wasn't over, for looking back would blow it. I heard her "angry" booming steps behind me.

I stopped at the side of the museum, a few feet from the door, and started surveying the ground. "It's gotta be here somewhere!"

She stopped and looked too. "Well, it's gotta be here somewhere!"

One of the Aqua grunts walked over to us. "What're you two yellin' about!?"

I rubbed my head and put on a tired look. "My girlfriend lost her bracelet. She had it when we went into the museum this morning, but we noticed it was gone when we went out to eat. We're retracing our steps."

"Well, retrace faster!" Wow, Juno was really good at the "angry spouse" roll. "My grandmother gave me that bracelet! It's all I have left of her, and I swear to Arceus if we don't find it-" She walked forward and grabbed my shirt collar. There was fire in her eyes; the same for when she was legitimately angry. I silently prayed that she wasn't one of the actresses that got too engrossed in the role…

"Easy, easy," said the other grunt, a woman, as she walked over. "All of this can be resolved with calmness and communication."

"You can help?" I asked, intentionally making my voice sound like I was accusing Juno.

"I recently went through a bad breakup," she said, rubbing her arm. "And even more recently, I was told to guard the entrance to a museum with my ex…I've been trying to make it not awkward."

"Trying in vain," said the guy, turning away. "I've moved on, Marina!"

"Why can't we just be friends now?" she asked, a little frantically. "We've known each other for five years before we started dating!"

"It wouldn't work!"

"Why not give it a chance?"

Juno and I looked at each other, and then looked back at the two. The original plan was to ambush them when _we _were arguing, but…this works too.

…

The two grunts struggled against their restraints. We had duct taped their mouths shut, and tied them back to back to a buoy near the pier. Lucky for us, it was easy to find in a port town, as well as a coil of rope.

"Maybe you two will have some time to sort things out," Juno said as she pushed the buoy off the pier and they began to drift away. It had been her idea.

"Juno, you sure we should do this?"

She waved her hand. "Ah, it's all good. I called the police. Their boat will pick them up in a few hours."

"What if they miss it?"

Juno thought for a minute. "Meh. There's plenty of desert islands this side of Hoenn. Now let's go."

Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention we took their clothes?

…

"These pants are too small," I complained as we walked into the museum, disguised as Team Aqua grunts.

"Hey, I'm not having a peachy time either with my clothes," she said grumpily. "You have no idea what the extent of pain is that can come from small clothing."

I nodded. "Point taken."

We walked in between two desks. The woman behind one nodded. "Welcome to the Slateport City Oceanic Museum! Admission is usually $20, but we offer a free entrance to Team Aqua members today!" She but on a nervous smile and sweat dripped down her face. There was a Team Aqua grunt behind her, leaning on the counter and reading a magazine. A Poochyena sat at his feet, snarling at the lady.

"Well…thanks, I mean…yarr, matey."

We weaved in and out of the crowd of Aqua grunts, nodding and letting out an occasional "Yo-ho!" or "Avast, fellow Team Aqua grunt!"

"Tell me if you see Wes," I said, stopping and pretending to take great interest in a painting depicting several penguin Pokémon sliding down a glacier.

"Already on it," responded Juno, looking up at the fossil of an aquatic Pokémon that once swam that sea, suspended from the ceiling.

After a few minutes of mock interest in the ocean and all of its holdings, as well as minimal contact with our "fellows," we determined that Wes was not on this floor. We proceeded up.

As we walked up, we heard a gruff man shouting. "I'll ask you one more time, boy! What does it say!?"

We finished climbing the set of stairs, and our acting powers couldn't stop us from showing emotion. Wes was tied up, and being held down by two Aqua grunts. On one knee in front of him was a man, wearing a black jacket and a blue bandana. In one hand he held a large piece of paper.

In the other hand he held Wes by the throat.

**Might not be able to update tomorrow, so I plan on doubling-up on chapters today. Hopefully, the next one we be out soon. Enjoy!**

**-TrainerNaps**


	13. Chapter 13: Read the Wrong Way

"I…don't…know…" choked Wes in response to the man's question.

The man let out a heavy sigh. "Listen, boy, I'm getting' real tired of askin'. Isn't the polite thing to do to answer a man's questions?"

"Go to h-ack!" The man tightened his grip. "Boy, I've had bout right enough! Tell me what it says!" He shoved the paper into Wes's face. "Do you know what this is!?"

"A chart."

"Good. Now you're a smart boy, Wes. At least I can assume as much."

Wes's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

One of his henchmen pent over, and dangled Wes's Pokégear in front of him.

"Also," said the crony. "We read yer last message." He turned to us. "Robert? Percy? Please show our guests in."

Two beefy grunts appeared behind us from the staircase, one for each of us. Before we could resist, they had our arms pressed against our bodies, and were escorting us forward.

The man let go of Wes and got up to face us. The top of his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a hairy chest and a gold chain with a skull on it. He had a pretty impressive black beard.

"I assume the boy is Will?" he said, crossing his arms. I nodded.

"You know, I'm actually pretty offended that you're wearing my colors. What happened to the ones who they belonged to?"

Juno jerked her thumb out the door. "If the police haven't picked 'em up yet, then they're on a slow ride to whatever island they hit first. Should give them some well needed bonding time."

The man holding onto Juno kneed her in the back. I struggled to get to her aid, but my captor just tightened his grip. "Enough!" I shouted. "What do you want? We can end this and all go home!"

My captor looked down at me. "What should we do, Archie?"

Archie moved his jaw from side to side thinking. "I assumed that the grandson of the esteemed Professor Samuel Oak could read this here language." He held up the sea chart. It had all sorts of maps and diagrams scattered over its surface. There were notes written in a language I had never seen before. And then it started.

There was a whine in my ears, that kept getting higher and higher. My vision began to stretch, like I was looking down a tunnel and getting further and further away from the map. And then it zoomed back and flashed.

"_The astral beast doth wake from ancient sleep," _I said, my actions not my own. I was aware of my speech, but wasn't saying these things. My voice echoed with a thousand other voices: high, low, deep, all variations spoke with me. "_Cries of thine enemy shallst wake the Leviathan, who's strength shallst shake sea and earth. Chains bound thee not, though under lock and key of Aria's Tomb. Beware the Serpent Queen; Beware the Leviathan."_

And then I passed out.

…

I groaned and turned over in bed. My vision was blurry at first, but soon returned to me. Burgundy, Wes, and Emile were hovering over me.

"He's waking up," said Burgundy. My head pounded at the sound of…well, sound. I clutched my burning forehead.

"Juno…" I managed to croak out. Burgundy pointed to my right.

"She's here too, Will. She's safe." I tried to sit up, but my body had other plans. I screamed in both pain and aggravation that I couldn't see her. Burgundy shushed me.

"Rest, Will. You need rest."

"You know, we never actually had to wait in the hospital in Johto after you passed out," said Wes with a grin. "You gonna make up for that here?" Burgundy hit him.

"Easy, little man," said Emile. "Just take a little _siesta_. You'll feel better…"

I drifted back.

…

I did feel better when I awoke. My headache was virtually gone, and my muscles weren't sore anymore. I sat up. Wes, Emile, and Burgundy were nowhere to be seen. I looked to my right. Juno sat in a cot, reading a magazine. She had gauze wrapped around her head.

"Juno!"

She turned and put her magazine down. "Oh, look who decided to wake up."

"How many days has it been?"

"None. You woke up for a bit last night, or so I was told, and just clocked back out." She looked at me mischievously. "Are you used to long absences from consciousness, Will?"

I laughed and rubbed my head as I got up and walked to the foot of her bed. "You could say that. Are you hurt?"

She nodded, and pointed to the bandages on her head. "After you went all…I don't even have one for that. Once you did that thing, Archie tried to milk some more info out of me. Since I had no idea what my freaky boyfriend was on about, he clocked me in the noggin."

I crossed my arms and gave her a look of my own. "Is that the only reason?"

She relented. "I may have called him a few names. Hey, wearing those tiny shoes sucked. Can you do that thing you do?" I sighed and started to massage her feet.

"That feels good," she sighed. "Anyway, Wes said that after that, they left, fearing that some group called 'Team Magma' would come after they heard they were there. Maybe there in some kind of gang war or something."

I shook my head. "We should know by now that simple gangs don't research ancient monsters." I looked around. The Pokémon Center seemed awfully quiet.

"Where is everyone?"

"Cage's little sister was getting a little Durantsy, so they decided to take her to the beach. They should be back soon." Normally, I might've been a little annoyed that they just left, but I hate the beach, so it didn't matter much to me.

Juno looked up. "Huh. Speak of the devils." The whole group walked in, still in their bathing suits."

"Glad to see you're up and running," said Cage. Molly stood in front of him, Cage's hands on her shoulders.

"You missed it!" she squeaked. "Kayla won and she beat all the people and she got a ribbon!" She sounded genuinely excited. I was genuinely excited too: this was the first time I'd seen a lot of emotion out of her. Actually this was the first time she'd actually talked to me.

"She's really grateful about you letting her meet Kayla," explained Cage. He looked down at Molly, smiling. "Which reminds me. Don't you have something to say to Will?"

She crawled up onto the bed and kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you!" I playfully messed up her hair.

"Anytime, kiddo."

Cage checked his watch. "About that battle…I'm gonna have to take a rain-check on that. I've gotta get Molly home, and you don't look like you're really ready…"

I nodded and stood up. "I understand," I said, shaking his hand. "We can battle another time."

"If you're ever in Lavaridge Town, look me up! I return home regularly."

"What do you do?" asked Wes.

"I'm collecting the Hoenn Badges," he said, flipping open his badge case. He had six. "I come home often to visit Molly."

"When Will and your brother have their battle, will you come sit with us?" said Burgundy sweetly as she bent over to get at Molly's eye level. Molly smiled, and motioned for Cage to bend over, and whispered in his ear.

"She said she'd love to. And I guess she's only warming up to the whole 'talking to people' thing."

"That's okay," said Burgundy. "One of my little brothers was really shy like that once. You get over it eventually."

Cage hoisted Molly up onto his shoulders. "We'll, be seeing you!"

We all waved and said goodbye as Cage and Molly left. Man, Kayla was right. Well, technically, that makes me right before her, but whatever. Getting to meet nice new people and making friends was just one of the perks.

"So," said Emile, clapping his hands together. "We headin' out, or we gonna bunker down for a while?"

"Oh, no." Juno slammed her magazine shut. 'We're leaving ASAP. Nothing stands between us and Mauville now." She got up and started getting her stuff together. We stood there for a moment, confused. She turned back to us.

"Well, what're you waiting for? MOVE IT!"

"B-but…" stammered Burgundy. "It's past noon already. We'll never make it by nightfall."

"You've slept outside before. Deal."

"I didn't like it…" she mumbled.

Juno was determined to find Wattson and figure this thing out. As was I. But with that new…flash in my brain, I think we've only come farther from finding the whole truth. Questions breed questions, I guess. And hopefully, answers will breed answers.

…

Archie and his entourage had found refuge in an old abandoned boat house. He had the charts, which would lead him to where he needed to go. And he had the translatiosn, which would tell him what he needed to know.

"Is it ready yet?" he asked his second in command. The Admin tossed him the phone.

"Connection's secure, cappin." Archie keyed the button. In a few seconds, he heard it crackle, and then Steven's voice came on.

"What!?" he snapped. "I'm busy right now. You know if you want to talk business, you call me on my business number. And if I'm not there, then tough!"

"I wouldn't talk to me like that if I was you," said Archie. "After all, ain't the deal for me to scratch your back? What if I just ignore you once my itch it gone?"

"We have a deal, Archie. And it would be foolish to double cross me."

Archie smiled. He truly believed he was the one in power here. "See, we'll see whose who when one of us controls the mighty Kyogre. And I'm the one lookin' while you're up in your fancy office. I think I'll find it."

"Whatever. Why did you call, Archie?"

"I need information. I got the map translated, but…"

"But? But what?"

"I don't have a lick 'o knowin' what it means? It references some 'Serpent Queen' and her Tomb."

"Serpent Queen…" Steven was silent for a moment. "Sounds like a mythological term, especially if we're dealing with Kyogre here. I'll look into it."

There was the sound of a voice off in the distance.

"I'll be right there, love!" cried Steven. Archie snickered. "Listen, you glorified pirate! Don't risk this ever again! Mythology can wait until I'm in my study, not when I'm busy."

"One more thing."

"What!?" hissed Steven.

"The one who translated it. A boy. He was tall, had brown hair. Deep blue eyes. Matter of fact, the eyes did something funky when he translated it…"

"William Grey. He thwarted Team Rocket in Johto. He likes ruining people's day. I didn't think he'd come this far into the plan…"

"How far is too far, Stone?"

"If he so much as nudges, then I'll worry. As of right now, he isn't a threat to the big picture. But be careful, Archie. You put his friend and his girlfriend in danger. He may have a stick up his rear, but when people endanger his friends he tends to try and beat everyone to death with it. That's a metaphor, but the way."

"Yeah," said Archie. "I woulda known that…" he was lying.

"Just be careful, Archie. As much as I hate to admit it, you've made yourself a powerful enemy. Any Team Aqua activity he comes across he _will _step in now. And I can't always stick my neck out for you."

"Understood. And did Shelly get the goods?"

"Yes. Everything we agreed on. The materials, as well as the instructions."

"Good." Archie smiled a smile of victory. "My friend, we are going to change the world."

**Since I might have to take a few day hiatus, here's a special treat. Enjoy!**

**-TrainerNaps**

**P.S. Mass Effect 4. Enough said.**


	14. Chapter 14: Overridden

Shear exercised her stiff neck as she walked down the linear hallway. She had just finished an hours-long shift guarding Aria. She hadn't the strangest idea why the King wanted her around; all she did was cause trouble and she has yet to provide anything valuable, information or otherwise.

The door to the main lab whooshed open and Shear stepped in. The assistant-to-the head scientist was talking to two others, comparing notes. Shear crossed her arms and cleared her throat. The man turned and jumped when he saw her, dropping his notes. He whispered something to his two colleagues, and walked over.

"Madam Shear!" he stuttered out. "T-to what do I owe the pleasure? C-can I get you some-"

"Shut up," she commanded dryly.

"Of course!"

"I'm very curious about your progress," she said, idly wandering over to a lab table. She picked up a small beaker and began to spin it in between her fingers. The scientist was about to tell her to stop that, but remembered just in time that she was infinitely his superior, not a new lab hand. In fact, holding his tongue had just probably saved his own hand.

"P-progress on what?"

Shear turned around, not very amused. "Progress on a containment device that can hold Aria without forcing me to babysit her." She got up, and the doctor shivered, but relaxed when he saw her swagger over to a display case. "I'm a very busy woman. I can't be sitting around playing with your broken toys all day."

Shear was silent for a moment, allowing the subliminal message to sink in for the doctor, which was simply: Fix the thing or else.

She turned back around, knowing that the doctor was a smart man and had (hopefully) caught her meaning. "You know, how did Aria get out that one time? And for that matter, all of those other times?"

The scientist gulped, the veins on his neck pulsing. He had held this back from his superiors for long enough, and it was foolish to think they wouldn't find out. If they had found out from someone other than him, he would've used the excuse, "But you didn't ask."

"O-one of my lab h-hands…"

She tilted her head so that her ear was facing him.

"L-let her out…"

"Is that man dead, doctor?"

"N-no, milady. He's alive, but in study…"

"Study for what!?" Shear stood from her former position of leaning up against the wall. "Treason!? Because, and I'm no doctor, I think we've found significant evidence to support that thesis, haven't we?"

"Y-yes, but-"

"But what?" Shear hissed. "What does this man possibly have that could bargain for his life?"

"H-he let her out…because he said she suggested it to him," stammered the doctor. Shear was still not swayed by "Because he said she suggested it to him."

"So, is there a suggestion box I'm unaware of?" asked Shear in a condescending tone. "Because if there is, I'd like to but something in it." She pretended to write on a small piece of paper in her hand. "Vent…science lab-" she said slowly while pretending to write. "-get…new…help."

"Aria Indoctrinated him!" the scientist blurted out. Shear titled her head to the side.

"Do tell…"

"Aria possesses some sort of…well…that's exactly it. She possesses people. Kind of. When she talks, it invokes the secretion of a special sort of pheromone in one's brain…near the part of your brain that dictates right from wrong…"

"Your morals," Shear said to herself.

"E-exactly. She literally charms people into doing what she says, and they think it's 'a good idea,' so they do it, effectively bringing them under her control. Indoctrination."

"If it works on everyone…than why didn't she do it to me?" asked Shear.

The doctor gulped before saying something bold. "How do you know she didn't?" Lucky for him, Shear didn't know that. She pulled out her swords and dashed back down the hallway.

…

"So, what else did they say?" I asked as we walked down Route 110. It was another nice day in Hoenn, though a little warmer than I liked. I always measured temperature by two things: the humidity and the direct sunlight. I always liked it when it was just above what one would be considered warm, yet there be a warm little presence in the air, but not too much so. Like if it were too chilly, yet the sun was bright and hot, it's just like it was taunting me, like, "I know you can feel me, but no completely!" Stupid warm blood…

"What do you mean?" asked Wes, who was standing a few feet away from me.

"What did Archie say after I passed out?"

"Oh?" He looked up and continued to walk as he thought back. "He said that they'd gotten what they wanted…and they'd better leave before Team Magma shows up. I guess those are their rivals or something…"

"Great," Burgundy commented in a monotone fashion. "_More_ people we need to deal with…"

"Let's not forget we have something to accomplish," snapped Juno, who had taken a commanding lead ahead of the rest of us.

"Yeah, Will," said Emile, a little grumpily. "Don't forget…"

I hated to be the arbiter in these little group disputes. "Guys, we all have things to accomplish, I know, and we'll get them all done, I promise, but in order to get _any _of them done, we need to work together."

Juno turned back around and continued walking. Everyone grew silent.

"So…Emile," said Wes, stepping up to be the one to break the awkward silence. "What do we need for the cure?"

"Roselia petals, Tropius fruit, soot…"he said. He had taken the entire list to heart.

"Soot?" asked Burgundy. "Isn't that the stuff that comes out of volcanoes?"

"I'll _make_ one erupt if I have to," said Emile, grim yet determined. I was lovin' the determination, but not the volcano idea. I'm sure there's a better way to get soot…

"So, how much longer to Mauville City?" asked Burgundy, in her tired-little-girl-on-a-road-trip fashion. I could've sworn I heard Juno say 'Too long…'

"We have to run right in about…" he stopped. "Right now, actually." The Bike Path, a massive arching bridge, stood above us. In between one of its arches was a man-made path through an swampy area, a shortcut that had been created to make travel to and from Mauville and the northern areas easier.

"If we're crossing today, we need to get a move on," said Juno. "Tide comes in at night. Wouldn't want to be caught there…"

…

Steven stopped to catch his breath. He leaned up against his left leg, the other half of his body still remaining on his bike. The whole outing had been May's idea, and while he didn't like to deny her wishes, he hated this.

I belong in an office, he thought to himself, not riding around like an idiot. That's for the fools who aren't CEOs. Making money is fun, not this.

Still, rest wasn't the only reason he had stopped. His conversation with Archie the other day was still fresh in his mind, and while the normal solution for something like that: forget about it, wasn't working. It never did for him, though, so he wondered why he had even considered it. Steven Stone doesn't forget things.

Archie had mentioned "The Serpent Queen." Steven had grown worried at the mention of Aria's alias. Now, a fool like Archie would be nowhere near messing with his plan, but he couldn't take any chances. He had no make sure Archie forgot about Aria, or at the very least let it go.

He could say that his initial searches in his libraries and databases turned up nothing. But no, that would make Archie more interested. If anything, that would make Archie want to search for it himself, and in a region strong in lore and mythology like Hoenn…

Above all, Steven just couldn't let his deal with Aria come to light. That would ruin everything.

"Darling, are you coming?" cooed May as she rode up behind him. Steven nearly jumped: he had forgotten about May while deep in thought. He worked up his best winded face as fast as he could, and turned just in time to see may ride up on her rose red bicycle. Where he was at best average with riding one, she was a pro, and seemed to glide down the paths, her legs moving only when necessary, being able to judge distance and get the most out of every pump.

"Sorry…" he said, fake panting. "Just a little tired…"

May tilted her head to the side, feigning concern. "You aren't thinking about work again, are you? Because I took you out here to forget about that. To get some fresh air." She put a gentle hand on the side of his head. "Relax that big brain of yours."

Steven smiled. At this point, he couldn't tell if he was still faking it or just delighted. This is what women did to men, he thought. The fires of their affection (or seduction) could turn the most iron of men into puddles of wax.

May glanced over his shoulder, and almost jumped herself. Entering the area under the bridge were Will and company. May gulped momentarily and returned to her perpetual state of bliss.

"Well, we might as well keep going," said Steven with a sigh. "I leaned my bike up against the ledge. I'll go get it."

"No!" May bit her lip. He would see them if he went over there. Her plan would go right down the drain. "I mean, I can get it sweetie."

"May, it's fine," he said with a laugh. "You've done enough for me today."

He turned to leave. May was growing desperate. She grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him back to face her. "I felt something earlier. Did I get stung?"

"No, May, you're fine. Now would you let me-"

"Well, since you're facing me, is there anything stuck in my teeth? I had bacon for breakfast, so you never know-"

"May, your teeth are fine, now can I just go and-"

Ugh. Plan B it is. She kissed him. They held it there for a while. Good, she though. Now Will and his friends will have time to get past his line of sight…

She had counted on that. But what she hadn't counted on was them walking right under the bridge, and being seen from the other side…

Steven slowly opened his eyes, still kissing May. And then he saw them. He ran to the side of the bridge.

"Wha-no! They're here! They're alive! I though Archie meant they had messed with him some other time, but-" He stomped his foot in frustration. Grumbling, he took out his PokéNav and began to tap keys.

May clenched her fist. She was going to have to work hard to pick up the slack from that one.

"Who should I call…"Steven bit his lower lip and thought. "Aha!"

He dialed a number, and waited. A few seconds later, the other line picked up.

"Hello? Yes, Wattson, this is Stone. I need you to do me a favor…"

**Happy Easter everyone!**

**Would've thrown a Bunneary or something in, but we aren't in Sinnoh yet!**

**-TrainerNaps**


	15. Chapter 15: What Do Reactors Do?-

We trudged through the marshland. The ground was wet and soggy, our every step inciting a squish. A thick fog was draped all around us, making it hard if not impossible to see more than three feet in front of us. The sounds of all sorts of creeps in critters drifted in and out on this fog. Well, it was probably thick enough to be considered solid matter, so that would make sense.

We reached a small bog area. Green muck floated on the surface of the brown water. I saw something sitting on a lily pad, but it jumped into the water before I could get a good look at it. All I could clearly recall was a blue fin on its head…

It had been a Mudkip! Maybe that's why they're so rare. Anything could hide in fog this thick, especially a race of small amphibians.

"Stay close," said Juno, through the fog. My original plan had been to follow her silver ponytail, which was usually easy to find in a crowd, but that proved unreliable, as it blended right in. I chose instead to use her bright red uniform as my beacon.

"Seriously, does anyone have a light," asked Burgundy, crossing her arms and shivering.

"Uh-uh, _chica_," said Emile. "This ain't the same as darkness. It's like saying 'Does anyone have an oxygen mask' while underwater."

"You can't talk underwater," said Wes.

"Well, you could if you were a Water-Type," retorted Emile.

Wes and I were silent for a second. "What _kind _of Water-Type," I asked.

"Ugh!" Juno slammed her foot down, resulting in a squish and covering her leg instead of the desired stomping sound. "This is why you people annoy me!"

"What kind of Water-Type would you be, Juno?" asked Wes.

She huffed. "I'd be a Remoraid. So I could swim far…far…far…away from here…"

"I get the impression she's a tad annoyed," said Wes into my ear. I chuckled and we continued on.

Burgundy was fed up, and kicked what she thought to be a small rock, but was actually a pile of mud. "Ugh, can't they at least install, like, some kind of street lamp or something?"

As if on queue, a small bubble of light lit up in the distance.

"Ask, and thou shall receive," said Wes with a chuckle.

"Ugh, can't they at least build a hotdog stand in this marsh?" I said, putting my ahnds together and looking at the sky. I did not begin to smell hotdogs.

We ran forward a bit, the light getting closer and closer. The ground became a bit more sold. As we grew closer, the light seemed to flicker. Expecting some sort of lantern, I was surprised to see a rock. And perched atop it, a small red and white Pokémon. It was huddled at the pinnacle of the boulder, shaking an emitting a weak light. I took out Dex.

_Plusle _

_The Cheering Pokémon_

_It cheers on friends with pom-poms made of sparks. It drains power from telephone poles._

"Hey, little guy," I said softly as I slowly walked forward. "My name is Will. I'm a friend." I slowly reached out to touch it. A spark of electricity arced from its body and into my index finger, burning it.

"Ouch!" I shook my finger and stuck it into my mouth. "Why you little-!"

Burgundy shot ahead of me and put a hand against my chest to prevent me from going any further. "Don't you dare harm a hair on her little head, William Henry Grey!" Burgundy scooped Plusle up and rocked it back and forth. Surprisingly, it didn't shock her at all. She sang that same lullaby that she had sung to Togepi in Johto. And I recognized it now.

It was that language that I had translated in the museum.

…

Shear raced down the hall, swords drawn. The people she passed looked surprised, but not alarmed. If it was a problem big enough for Shear to draw her swords, than it was a problem to be feared. But when Shear draws her swords, things happen.

She waded through the human traffic as best she could, but when conflict was unavoidable, she simply knocked them aside. They could pick up papers themselves. Shear had work to do.

She came into the containment room to see two lab hands, a man and a woman, working on Aria's container. Their gazes were empty, emotionless. Their eyes held nothing; no purpose, no future.

"What are you doing?" demanded Shear.

"Freeing Aria," said the female softly.

"Aria said it was a good idea," said the male in the same fashion.

Shear walked slowly in a half circle around the room, like a Liepard stalking its prey. She pointed one of her swords at them.

"I'm warning you," she said through gritted teeth. She had had enough of this meddlesome spirit. "Step back or-"

_Or what? _Arias voice rang through the room. It was true: she was becoming free. _You'll glare me to death? You seem to be doing a fantastic job of that, by the way._

"Aria!"

_Don't Aria me! You brought this upon yourself! Thinking you could trap me! Ha! I'm not escaping, Shear, I'm leaving. I can accomplish no more here!_

Aria had been working an angle this whole time? Shear found that hard to believe. She was simply trying to catch Shear off guard, that was all.

"Why are you Indoctrinating these people?" asked Shear.

_Why not? This place is pretty boring, not gonna lie._

"Why didn't you Indoctrinate me?"

_Hm…I tired, believe me. You're strong, I'll give you that. Looks like one of them Touched you before I could get to you. Oh well. A cake's a cake, no matter which way you bake it._

Aria made a fake yawning sound. Shear knew she was still just being condescending, and her little show lacked a physical image of a stretching and yawning woman, making Shear less impressed.

_Well, I'll see you around, Samantha. And on my way out, I think I'll leave a little present. Or should I say, take one._

The whole ship shuddered. _Toodles!_

Shear looked around. Nothing had happened. The Indoctrinated lab hands fell to the floor, unconscious. A grunt ran into the room, winded.

"Milady…Aria just…"

"Spit it out!"

"Aria just jettisoned the engine!"

…

"Ugh, Burgundy, would you just stop singing to the little rat already!" moaned Wes, holding his forehead. Burgundy had been cooing her lullaby to Plusle for the hour and a half after we had discovered it. Not only that had been discovered, though. A shortcut through the marsh had been found, helping us make better time to Mauville City.

Juno was certainly pleased. Her pace now reinvigorated and with new purpose, I swore that I could almost see the ghost of a smile on her face. We were closer to answers, and we knew it.

So did many other people.

We heard a low buzz as we walked over a small hill. We stopped and looked around. Nothing but woodland, and the sea to our east. We could see a small island in the distance. There looked to be a rather large cave there…

The buzz slowly began to increase in volume. I soon began to recognize it at a motorcycle. And sure enough, one appeared right over the hill. The sole passenger was a stout man, a bit heavyset. He stopped in front of us.

"You William Grey?" he asked in a gruff, almost raspy old man voice.

"Uh…yeah…"

"Good! I've been ridin' around like some kinda lunatic for an hour lookin' for ya!" He hopped off of his bike and removed his helmet. He had white hair in a whacky almost Mohawk, as well as a thick and spikey beard.

"The name's Wattson! I've been-"

"_You're_ Wattson!?" Juno jumped and ran towards him. Her entire body tensed. Wattson looked back at me, and then at Juno, and looked even more nervous than before."We've been looking for you, pal, and we need answers! Will's father and my father worked with you on-"

"Easy, easy!" Wattson waved his hands in a downward motion, in an attempt to calm the now bewildered Juno. Maybe Emile could get some soot from her. You know, after she erupts…

"I've got a lot on my mind, missy, and I'd love to answer your questions." He scratched the back of his head and laughed. "You see, New Mauville is about to explode, and-"

"Hold up!" Burgundy jumped, and Plusle scurried over her shoulder and hid behind her head. "What is New Mauville, and why is it going to explode? I-I…why does every new person I meet with you guys have to be the bearer of _some_ kind of bad news!?" She shot an accusing glance at me. Yes, me, the Bad Luck Magnet himself.

"New Mauville was a machine shop a built to create animatronic Pokémon," explained Wattson.

"Animatronic Pokémon?" asked Wes. "Like, robots?"

Wattson nodded. "Smart boy! Anyway, the robots started to go nuts-" He stopped and started laughing hysterically. "_Nuts! _I crack myself up!" He quieted down after a solid minute and a half of laughing, and wiped his dribbling nose with his sleeve. "Ya know, nuts? Like, the things you use to-"

"WE KNOW!" screamed Juno. The shout echoed off of the empty space all around us. A flock of Wingull were startled, and flew away. Juno huffed and puffed. "Finish your story, please," she said, her teeth clenched shut and her knuckles strained white as she clenched them.

"Okay…well, the robots didn't really like us, so we had to shut em down and leave. We thought it would be okay, but the reactor that powers the facility recently went wild…we dunno why, though. We need someone to go shut it down before…well, kablooey."

"Why not you?" asked Juno, her arms crossed.

"C'mon, I'm an old fat guy! Plus, I gotta watch the Gym."

"You can come with us so we can ask you on the way…"

"Did I not just bring up the fact that I'm old and fat?"

"Enough!" Again, it's always gotta be me breaking these things up! I don't need Juno the Warrior Goddess and King Bumi over here arguing, especially with a ticking time bomb not a half mile away. "Wattson, we'll do it, but you have to promise to answer our questions when we return.

"If you-…I mean, yeah, sure! All the question!" He half turned away. "There's a, uh…boat docked on a small pier down by the water. You can take that."

I nodded, and motioned for my group to follow.

"Just remember," called Wattson. "Don't touch _anything _under any circumstance!"

…...

May paced around her spacious room that Steven had rented for her while staying briefly in Slateport City. Will and Co. were walking right into a trap, and wouldn't make it out of this one unharmed. She hadn't laid any groundwork for this one; there were no explosives to "malfunction" this time around. And if her guesstimate was right, they'd be entering the area close enough to New Mauville to where she couldn't reach them to warn them.

May sighed, trying to calm herself. There was nothing more that she could do. She did her best to take her mentor's advice, and console herself, so that her guilt wouldn't get in the way of further assignments. She had done everything possible, everything within her mission parameters…

That's it! There was still one thing she could do, if her intel was correct. Though it wasn't within or mission parameters, so to speak. To save Will's life this time, she'd need to break some rules…

She reached into her pocket, and took out her special phone, the one that would label her as anonymous no matter what…


	16. Chapter 16:-They React

Morpheus slammed his hands down on the table. "We can't just sit out here like Ducklett! This isn't exactly a luxury cruise, and we need to get moving!"

After Aria had escaped and jettisoned the engine, _Crystal Lance _had managed an emergency landing in a nearby ocean, right off of the coast. There were no guarantees, but they hoped that they hadn't been discovered.

"What can we do?" asked Shear. "We don't have an engine, and we can't just walk into town and get one!" She pretended to open a door. "Excuse me, do you have a fusion reactor core that can power a battleship? We're in desperate need of one, you see our ship crashed and-"

"I know Shear, I just-"

"You just what!? There isn't a Triple A service for battleships! We-"

"Enough!" Karrgon was tired of the two squabbling like siblings when a problem presented itself. Morpheus always wanted to think of a solution, and Shear always wanted to go an solve the problem. Although that sounded like a decent setup for cooperation, the two ever coordinated plans or, at the least, worked together without orders to do so.

"We don't need a new plan. One of our agents in the field brought in some data." On the table appeared a holo-map of a small, rocky island, with a complex of halls underneath. "This is New Mauville, an underground complex built by the local Gym Leader for unknown purposes. It has a reactor that fits our exact specifications. Only one problem-"

"It's exploding, isn't it?" asked Morpheus. Karrgon nodded.

"A remote sequence was recently triggered to destroy the island."

"Who would do that?" asked one of the grunts.

"Someone with a remote control and a lot of free time," said Shear with a slight grin. "Or a plan. A remote detonator to a remote island sounds like a pretty god setup for a trap of some kind…"

"That's exactly what I was just about to bring up," said a grunt, holding up a datapad. "We didn't get this data from a field agent: we got it from an anonymous source."

"Anonymous tip?" asked Morpheus. "We aren't exactly the local police…"

"Whoever it is, they know our intentions. And it doesn't necessarily need to be a trap. If disconnected from its power source, the rector shouldn't blow, and we can use it. It would just power down the whole facility."

Karrgon scratched his chin. Whoever sent them this information was either extremely friendly, or was sending them into a trap.

Little did he know it was for something completely different.

…

The waves, which had picked up since out trip had begun, were now lapping against our boat, as if trying to hamper our progress even more. It was a small dingy with a motor on the back, not a stunt boat. It could handle these small waves, but if they got any worse, we'd be in trouble.

Juno stood at the back, using the handle to guide the rudder and the running motor. She looked determined, like no force of nature was going to stop her. Not this time.

We finally reached the island as the wind was getting a bit out of control. We dragged the boat up the stony beach to keep it from drifting away. We turned to face the wide, open cavern. It was almost perfectly circular; man had created this hole, not nature.

We crept slowly inside. It was a rather spacious cavern, and for non-apparent reasons. All it contained was a large metal door at the end directly proportionate to the opening.

There was a small keypad on the rock wall next to the door. The words, "REPLACEMENT BATTERY SOURCE REQUIRED!," flashed red. Juno pressed a single button. The door opened.

"The reactor's running out of power. It can't maintain security systems," she said, taking point. The rest of us stood dazed for a moment. We were about to walk into the maw of almost certain death, something we were already reluctant to do. Juno was leaping in, dragging us with her.

She snapped back around. "Come on, let's go!"

We entered the complex. It was old; older than I had imagined. The steel walls were lined with small holes and coated with rust. Wires dangled from the ceiling and from the floor. I would've been worried, but not now. Electricity, their lifeblood, no longer flowed through their veins.

On the way, we noticed several computer consoles and terminals. I began to grow uneasy. Why would robot manufacturers need so many computers…?

I heard a buzz, and two round shapes zoomed by my head. I couldn't catch a direct glimpse, but from our current location, as we as the noises they let out, I inferred that they were Magnemite.

"Magnemite…" said Wes. "Wait, Wattson said animatronic Pokémon were created here…did he mean the Magnemite?"

Emile nodded, and took a knee in front of what appeared to be a pile of scrap, but I then recognized as somewhat resembling a Magnemite! Where a Magnemite's eye usually was, a hole with scorched wires poking out of it existed. It lay in a pile of stinky black liquid: oil.

"I'm guessing the first Magnemite were created here…with some failed prototypes first," he said, examining the attempt at synthetic life further. He stood and wiped his hands on his pants. "I don't think these things were created here. Well, I do, but this lab wasn't created for the purpose of making Magnemite…"

"The Magnemite were made to protect the lab…" said Burgundy, in a hushed tone as she had a revelation.

"But what would be so worth protecting that would make a group of scientist want to create a species of guard dogs. I mean balls. Er…robot balls?" stammered Wes.

"That's what I want to find out," said Juno, pushing Wes and Emile aside and continuing on. And that it was bothered me. I ran ahead to catch up to her, she having resumed her determined stride.

"Juno…you don't care about the reactor, do you?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"You have to remember; lives are at stake here! We can't just-" My breath was taken away, as was Juno's, preventing her response. Wes, Emile, and Burgundy's soon followed.

We had reached the reactor core.

Magnemite flew in swarms from holes in the walls, and tunnels jutting out of various places, trying to do a desperate patch up job to the reactor. But in vain. A dozen would lift a large sheet of scrap metal, to have twenty more weld it in place, but for it to just fall back off. This was their purpose, and it soon wouldn't exist.

And then, the alarms decided to go off.

We were bathed in red light, and a loud siren began to blare. The Magnemite began to scramble and fly erratically as they were confused by the sudden burst of color and sound. Some tried to resume their desperate tasks, but were interrupted by other Magnemite.

"_WARNING: REACTOR OVERLOAD DETECTED,_" crackled a synthetic female voice over the intercom. "_INITIATING SECURITY PROTOCOLS."_

A clear, radiation-proof wall shot up, blocking off the exit of the hall Juno and I stood in. Wes, Burgundy, and Emile were stuck on the other side.

I sent out all of my Pokémon. Marshtomp, Ralts, and Makuhita were at first startled by all of the noise and commotion, but soon rallied to the call of their Trainer.

"We have to get out of here!" I cried. "Attack that wall!" They lashed out with their most powerful attacks, but nothing worked; this wall was impregnable.

I pressed against the clear surface. "Guys!" I called, cupping my hands over my mouth. "Get out of here! We'll find our own way."

I couldn't hear, but Burgundy began to look around frantically, and breath heavily. Emile put a hand on her shoulder, said something to her, and then nodded to Wes. Wes grabbed her hand, and reluctantly the two left. Emile saluted, and followed.

"I'll work on the door, Juno!" I called to her. "You go check that-"

"-Terminal! Got it!" She was already at the computer terminal at the end of the dead-end hallway.

Just as I was about to order another round of attacks on the door, I heard a metallic screech, followed by a repeated banging. I turned back to the wall to see a long Magnemite, annexed from its fellows, desperately trying to return and do its job. I felt sorry for it. It was deranged and confused. I took out a Pokéball, and called it in.

"Will, I got it to work!" Juno called with excitement. I ran over to her.

"Great! Find a way to shut down the reactor, and-"

"No! I found a file on Project Juno! I have to read it!"

This was getting desperate. Not only our bid to turn this off, but her obsession. "Juno, no, we have to-"

_"-stop the project immediately." _Came the voice from the console. It was an audio file. Juno's eyes grew as she drew nearer to the screen, though it didn't do any good, as there was only sound.

_"The Project turned up initial results, as Cassius's thesis was proven correct-"_

"Cassius," I whispered. "That's my father…"

_"-but Ghetsis is growing unpredictable and wild. His desperation for this to succeed has taken this too far. He wants to try using the Orbs to impregnate a soul within a newly created body. Grey's theory is that it would work better with a developing child, still in the womb. I, on the other hand, think a symbiotic relationship between a person with an already developed consciousness would be more beneficial. As we have no current methods of communicating with whatever is inside the Orbs, that would be the most favorable outcome. Well, three theories; three Orbs. Giovanni, signing out._

"Giovanni?" I asked aloud. "The leader of classic Team Rocket Giovanni?"

Juno didn't answer my questions. In fact, she was dead silent, still staring at the screen. Although there were bigger problems at hand, she still hadn't gotten any answers.

"There has to be more," she said, pressing more buttons.

_"WARNING! TEN SECONDS UNTIL CORE OVERLOAD!"_

"Juno, hurry, shut it off!"

"We're too close, Will," she turned around. Her eyes were flowing with too many emotions for me to identify. All of them. "We can have answers!"

_"WARNING! FIVE SECODNS UNTIL CORE OVERLOAD!"_

"I found another file," she exclaimed as the room shuddered.

"Juno, no!"

And then all of the lights shut off.

…

Juno sat on the couch in the Pokémon Center, a blanket draped over her shoulder. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her body refused to shut down and go to sleep.

I was at the counter, having a cut checked out by Nurse Joy. After everything in the facility had shut down, I had used Magnemite to find us a way out, as it knew Flash. Juno had been unresponsive the whole time.

Wattson walked into the Pokémon Center, and jumped. "You're alive! Thank Arceus, you're alive, all of ya!" He laughed and patted me on the back. "I knew you'd make it!"

"So it _wasn't_ a trap?" asked Mr. Conspiracy Theorist Wes. "Steven didn't set us up?"

"Steven? Steven Stone?" Wattson scratched his head. "I know a lot of Steves…there's Steve from the casino, Steve the bus driver, Steve from that restaurant I like…"

We turned to each other as he rambled on. "You though it was a trap?" I asked Wes, rubbing my now bandaged arm.

"Yeah, I mean, robots? Who believes that?"

I crossed my arms and put on an annoyed look. "Okay," he corrected. "Robot limbs don't count."

"-and Steve from the bus _company_, not the driver. Two different people." I looked at Wattson, and realized something: he was sweating.

"Wattson," I said in the accusing yet light tone of voice my mom used to use on me when I did something wrong. "Are you not telling us something?"

"I swear I told you the truth! I sent you in there genuinely to stop the explosion! I got a tip that it was gonna happen, and the boys and I checked our readings to confirm it! Without that tip, a lot of people would've died!"

He was still red in the face and sweaty. "Wattson, there's a lot my girlfriend and I want to know about Project Juno…"

He gulped. "G-girlfriend!?"

"Yeah…what's wrong with that?"

Wattson sighed. "Fine. I was gonna hold off until you could hear this from your father…but you should probably break up."

"Wha-who are you to tell us what to do!?"

"Only a guy who thinks it's weird for someone to date his twin sister."

**How bout them apples, hm? Well, I'ts time for another hiatus. Sorry everyone! Tomorrow to Sunday I'll be busy, and believe me I'll do my darndest to get a chapter or two out in that time. If not, I promise I'll do an extra long one on Sunday! Thanks all!**

**-TrainerNaps**


	17. Chapter 17: The Mind- A Place of Turmoil

**Heyo, I'm back! Got a few things to say, so pull up a seat! But if you prefer reading any other way, that's cool. Well, during my hiatus, I thought a lot and read a lot of Pokemon Black and White: Tony's Journey by Coli Chibi(fantastic story) and got some great ideas, not only for the series but specific things as well. That doesn't mean I'll be copying or plagiarizing, just being inspired. And if I use anything to which his name even remotely crosses my mind, I'll give him a shout out on the spot. So again: No copy, just ideas. And read his stories. They goooooood.**

**I kinda like his little forward and afterward recap, so I decided to adopt a similar strategy. I'm not saying he invented it, but he gets credit for me using it, so here goes!**

**Last time on Revelations:**

**Team Grey ventured into the New Mauville complex to prevent a reactor overload and save thousands of lives. While inside, Will and Juno were trapped during the final stages of the shut-down, and Will caught a confused Magnemite, the caretakers of the facility, in it's desperation to escape. Juno and Will learn that Cassius Grey indeed have something to do with the three orbs, and yes, three. All three were confirmed to be involved, as well as two other scientists: Giovanni of Team Rocket, and a mysterious scientist named Ghetsis. Just when all seemed lost, the reactor mysteriously shut down, allowing Will and Juno to escape, but cutting off the flow of information they craved. Keeping true to the series name, Juno and Will had a revelation inside the self-destructing New Mauville: that they had more to do with the Blue Orb than they had though: they were brother and sister. **

I waited. I waited for Wattson to burst out laughing. I waited for someone to jump out and shout "April Fools" at me. I waited for something, anything, to happen.

Don't get me wrong, Juno is a great person, girlfriend or…otherwise…and I don't really mind her being, well…my sister…but, my mind had just gone into denial.

"Eh…ehehehe…" a weak and shaky smile came to Juno's face. "Tell me you're joking…" She turned to Wattson. "You are joking, right?"

The usually outgoing and bombastic Gym Leader shook his head. He was serious.

I took a deep breath in, and slowly exhaled. "This had something to do with the S.S. Cactus…didn't it? And the Blue Orb?"

"Kid, you know more than one Trainer usually does," said Wattson with a grim chuckle. "But, yeah…pretty much. Listen, I called your dad. He's coming in a few days, to explain this to you in person. He owes you that much."

_Like heck he does! _I almost yelled. There was so much emotion flowing through me at the moment.

Anger, fury: how could he keep this from me! Isn't that something I'd want to know? That I had a twin sister? Isn't that something a guy wants to know?

Surprise: This is out of nowhere! How could someone hide something like that for so long? How could they not tell me this at any point in my life.

Sorrow: Is it because they didn't think I was ready? Why did they give her away, did they not love her?

All of these emotions were flowing together in a giant smelting pot of chaos. And these ingredients didn't exactly mix.

"Listen, kid," said Wattson, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You've been through much more than most. And, I hate to say it, but hearing what your father is gonna say'll putcha through even more, and-"

I calmly shook off his grip and turned to walk away. I just wanted to be alone: I'd rather this just sink in than have everyone and anyone try to yank it out of the ground so that they could stick it in their own way.

Burgundy blockaded my path to the door. Half looking up, I stepped to the side trying to bypass her. She didn't budge.

"So," I said glumly, not stopping, "Gonna make fun of me for dating my sister?"

I stopped in front of her. Her arms were crossed, and she looked that steely gaze of hers deep into my eyes. And then she hugged me. She offered her shoulder for me to lean on.

"It's okay," she said, stroking my head. "It's all gonna be okay."

She peered over my shoulder a bit, and saw the turmoil on Juno's face, which matched mine almost exactly. She made a small motion with her hand. Emile and Wes slowly guided her forward, and we group hugged. And just held it there for a while.

Wattson shuffled his feet. "Well, as long as we're all doin' it, can-"

_No_, mouthed Burgundy.

"Okay, well, then…uh…see you all tomorrow," he said, taking the hint.

…

I went to bed trying to think of something other than my recent revelation. Just trying to take my mind off of everything. In a few days, my dad would arrive in Hoenn, and we could sort this all out.

But my mind worked in vain. No matter how many times I tried to turn, Juno was standing around the corner. I cringed and grasped my forehead. There was no escape! I guess when he enemy is in your mind, you just can't get away.

But a bunch of things made sense now: some questions were now answered, and if not completely, we had partial answers.

This S.S. Cactus went down about sixteen years ago. It was studying the Blue Orb, a connection to which Juno and I share. Made sense. Pregnancies last about nine months. Still doesn't explain why Juno and I are connected to Aria and the Blue Orb. My mom wouldn't have been on the ship; first of all, she'd be caring for Caitlin if my father was away, and second she was a botanist.

And how did Aria get sealed away in the first place? Although she had been in control of me during that battle in the Ilex Forest, I had heard everything she had said. She wanted revenge for something, possibly against those who sealed her in, maybe? Maelstrom…that monster we faced…did it have some connection to the orbs?

She also mentioned someone…Iram, was it. Iram…that was Latin for fury. Rage. That might've been trouble down the road. Glad we got rid of him for good…what else did she say?

Serpent Queen! She said that the Serpent Queen was back! Did she mean her…and did I mean her? I said something about the Serpent Queen when I translated those words…Aria's Tomb would be the Blue Orb then…

And what of the Red and Greens ones? I had said that "Aria's Tomb" kept the Leviathan-whatever that was- chained away. So do the other two orbs guard "astral beasts?" And the spirits inside of them…are they benevolent, or are we gonna have to go through the Aria fiasco two more times?

These questions entered circulation in my mind as I drifted to sleep.

…

I woke up…or at least I thought I did. I was in a very lucid, very _real _dream, or so it appeared. I tried looking around, but I was looking in a fixed view, stuck in third person. I couldn't speak, either. I was strictly a spectator.

I was standing…floating, presiding, watching, whatever…in a stone room. Candles, not lights, were present on most surfaces, as well as in a chandelier over a large oak desk. Covering the desk were parchments, all of with were covered in the language I had once translated. Good thing I don't go crazy _every_ time I see these words: there were shelves behind the desk lined with books I assumed were written in that language.

Sitting at the desk, writing on a parchment, was a somewhat aged man with grey hair. He was tall and great, fairly muscled. He wore black and white armor, with yellow lining the joints. A great grey cape hung over the back of his chair.

It was Greyson.

The great oak doors of the room were flung open violently. In walked a warrior, not as tall as Greyson, but more muscular. He wore red and black armor, and carried his helmet under his arm. A nasty looking long-sword hung at his side.

"Lord Greyson, this is outrageous!" he yelled, pointing a finger at Greyson. Greyson didn't look up from his papers. "It is expected of me to clean up your granddaughter's messes, a task to which I do not take kindly!"

He swiftly moved to the desk, and slammed his hands down. Papers shifted position, and the small canister of ink rattled. "I thought I was done cleaning up your family's messes, my Lord," he said in a low tone.

Greyson still didn't look up. Calmly, as if the room was as empty as it had been five minutes ago, he dipped his quill into the ink bottle, and continued to right. "It was my understanding that you swore fealty to me, Sir Iram, is that correct?"

"Y-yes my Lord, but I still-"

"The terms of the Code of Fealty of the Sovereign Kingdom of Unova were quite clear, weren't they? I _did_ suggestyou read the ancient manuscript before you took the oath, didn't I?"

"He isn't much for reading, my Lord," came a somewhat snide reply. Iram whirled around. In walked a tall, slender woman, with fair blonde hair and emerald green eyes. There wasn't a flaw on her face. In a world where cosmetic supplies existed, I still had yet to see a woman as beautiful as her.

"Although your interruption was quit rude," came Iram, "I will hand it to Venus. I am no diplomat, and I claim to no such accord. But I still can't be tasked with handling Aria's messes! If _they_ didn't have their hands full with her, their troops would be massing at our borders! And if _we _weren't dealing with Hoenn, and we could focus on stopping Aria, we'd suffer major reproductions once she is defeated!"

"If you're so sure of the power of might over mind, why don't you go find Aria yourself?" asked Venus, very calm, very composed.

Iram walked over to Venus, and looked into her eyes. This was the first time I had seen them: his deep, red eyes. No, the second.

Those were Maelstrom's eyes.

"Have you forgotten there is a war on?" he shouted. "I can't lead a witch hunt deep into foreign territory! Our brave men and Pokémon need me to guide them!"

"But we cannot solve this problem with Aria running amok!" said Venus, now raising her voice, and looking up at Iram, who was slightly taller than she. "I am the one who usually smooth's things over when necessary, but I can't when there's someone following me on my heels to upturn everything!"

"Are you accusing me of jeopardizing the safety and security of our kingdom!?"

"I am only saying nothing can be done if you charge into a diplomatic situation, sword drawn!"

"I am a warrior! I handle things with my instincts, and never-"

"Enough!" Greyson slammed his fist down on the table, spilling ink over the side. "We cannot win two wars with my two chief advisors squabbling like children!" Greyson calmly folded his hands on the desk. "Lady Venus, you never come to me to make small talk. You always have something very important." He raised an eyebrow.

Venus cleared her throat and made her way to Greyson's desk, around Iram. His head tracked her as she walked around him, her gait almost making a silent insult to him. He finally turned fully when she had reached the desk.

"Yes, my Lord. I believe I have found a solution to a fast end to the war with Hoenn. But, we cannot accomplish such an end with Aria still-"

"See!" shouted Iram, almost with a laugh. "She cannot focus on anything other than Aria!" he grinned, and leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms. "I think she is becoming a detriment to our quest for freedom."

Greyson sighed, and looked up. His teeth were clenched. "The both of you know that I hate it when you cannot put everything aside to work together for our kingdom. You know I hate it even more when one of you is right, and the other isn't, and I must be the arbiter."

He slowly stood. I noticed that the scabbard that hung empty when I met him in my dreams had a magnificent sword in it; much smaller than Iram's, yet more elegant. The blade was made of a metal almost tinted blue, and the handle had marvelous patterns sculpted on it. It looked to be gold.

"Venus…Aria must wait…"

"What!" She looked extremely bewildered. A slight grin crept on to Iram's face. I almost expected Venus to fly into a fit of yelling and hysterics, trying to convince Greyson that her way was right, but she closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them, they gleamed with an idea.

"Fine. I will comply with your judgment, my Lord, but as your advisor I have been given the privileges of operating on my own, as long as there is no conflict of interest between my goals and yours. Is that correct?"

Greyson smiled and nodded. He must've known how composed and logical Venus could be, and that she wouldn't be a problem now that she knew where Greyson stood. "Yes, that is correct."

"Good." She turned on her heels and left, carrying herself with grace and dignity, even in the light of what Iram had considered a humiliation for her. "I bid you farewell, my Lord. Iram."

Even watching from a dream, not knowing half of what was going on, I knew she had work to do.

**Will is once again having mysterious dreams, this time about Greyson's past. What is Aria doing to cause two wars, and why? What significance to Iram and Venus play, and what do they have to do with the Orbs? And what was Venus's "plan?" All that and more, coming up!**

**Speaking of up, I'm gonna double up today to make up for the four day absence. So stick around, I can't wait to unveil Chapter 18: The Man!**


	18. Chapter 18: The Man

**As promised, my double-up for missing out on a few days!**

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Juno are shaken to their core when realizing that the allegations made by Wattson are true, and they are in fact twins. Will's mind is raked with questions, yet after New Mauville brought some things to light, he is once again starved of answers. Will went to sleep that night reasoning out that the Blue Orb, along with the other two, had someting major to play in his and Juno's association with Aria, and that his trance where he translated the ancient manuscript, he mentioned her, speaking of "The Serpent Queen," and some kind of relation to an ancient beast of un-measurable power known as "The Leviathan." In his vivid dream that night, he saw his ancestor Greyson, and his advisors Iram and Venus, debating strategy in a war apparently caused by Aria, and Venus revealing taht she had a plan. What will come of the team next?**

**Find out now! **

I groaned as I regained consciousness. Some wake ups were better than others. My eyes were filled with that crud that sometimes is there when you wake up. My dry mouth made a clapping sound as I opened and closed it. I was preparing to turn over and resume sleeping, when I found that I couldn't: my legs were pinned.

I slowly opened my eyes, and as they focused on the figure leaning over me I groaned. "Oh, no…"

"Good morning, sweetums!" she cooed as she placed a hand on my cheek.

"Addison, how did you get in?" I asked as I stretched my arms. "In fact, how did you even find out where I was?"

She craned her neck back and capped her hands over her heart. "No distance can separate two people with a love as strong as ours…"

_Yeah, _I thought, _So that must mean people who actually care about each other must reverse the gravitational pull of the Earth…_

I was in no mood for this. There are two times where I'm the crankiest, and most volatile. Before bed, and after waking up. Pile on the fact that I figured out I had been lied to for fifteen years the previous day, and you've got a pretty unhappy Will.

"Addison…what do you want?"

"You're single now," she said, slowly walking her index and middle fingers up my chest like little legs. "That means you can finally focus on _me_!" She poked me on the nose.

"Oh!" She jolted, and reached into the back pocket of her jeans. "I found your wallet!"

"But I don't even-"I remembered my desperate plan to get her away in Dewford Town. "Oh! Thanks, uh…thanks for that!" I took the wallet and looked into it. The ID inside said that the wallet and its contents belonged to a certain Brandon Richards of Littleroot Town, a new Trainer.

I slowly put the ID back into the wallet, and sincerely hoped that Brandon had a few extra dollars in his back pocket…

"Addison, did you even check inside the wallet?"

She shook her head. "That would be rude!" She smiled, and drew closer, drawing me back. "Does that help prove my undying devotion to you!?"

"Uh…" I gulped and sweatdropped. "Sure…"

"Yay!" She clapped. "I'm so glad I can finally be your official girlfriend! And that means Juno and I don't have to be co-girlfriends anymore! Now, eventually, she'll be my sister-in-law! I'm gonna go call my mom!" She hopped off of the bed and scurried excitedly into the hallway.

"Wait!" I cried, reaching out my arm. "I never said-eh, whatever." I flopped down for another solid hour of sleep.

…

I yawned and stretched while proceeding into the Pokémon center lobby commons. Wes, Burgundy, Emile and Juno sat in our usual area. All of them looked a bit nervous and estranged, especially Juno. She sat forward on her chair, twiddling her thumbs.

"Hey guys!" I said, trying to break the awkward air. "How did you all sleep?"

Juno looked up, her eyes sad and almost drooping. "You know the answer to that, Will."

"Yeah, I suppose so…" I said, plopping down in I seat. I was about to say something else, but Juno just burst out with:

"I mean, how could my parents lie to me for my whole life!?" She screamed this out, and waved her arms, not caring who heard or saw. "And, I mean, why would our dad give me up!" She slammed a fist down onto the coffee table, causing a spider web pattern of cracks to form in a circle around her fist.

"I'll pay for that!" she said in the same angry tone.

"Juno," I said, gulping. "I have something to say…" I told her-all of them, really, about the vision Celebi had shown me. The day of my-our birth.

"So…he was…sad to give me up?" asked Juno, her tone a bit lighter. "He sounded like he had a hard time doing it?"

I nodded. "Well, anyone would have trouble giving up their child," said Burgundy.

"No," said Wes, shaking his head. "I'm not saying 'no' as in no one would, but 'no' as in Will is making it sound like he was reluctant…and he had to." He looked over at me. "Am I correct?"

"That _is _what it sounded like…" We sat in silence for a moment, taking it in. I felt like we'd have a lot more of these "Taking it In" moments as our questions were further answered. I hoped we would, at least.

Burgundy was the one who broke the silence. She stood suddenly and clapped once. "Well, what are we doing sitting around here like a bunch of Trubbish?"

"Great," said Emile. "Now she's making up words…"

She glared at him. "Come on, guys, _célébrer_! Be happy! Will, you have a _twin sister_! I'd kill for a sister, let alone a twin! Juno, you aren't an only child! Sure, some other things might be piled on top, but when you get to the bottom it's still a great dish!" She quickly covered her mouth. "Sorry…someone I know says stuff like that…"

I looked up, taken out of my funk. Burgundy was right! I had a new sibling! I should be happy I found her now, instead of later, or maybe even never!

"We should do something to celebrate!" said Emile. "You know, to take our minds off of the bad!"

"WAHAHA! Did someone say party!?" Wattson waddled over to us, a spring in his step. He walked over to a position where he could pat Juno and I on the back at the same time, and did so.

"I had a good feeling about you kids! I know you were strong, in more ways than one if you catch my drift!"

"Uh, kinda," I said nervously, rubbing my arm. "Hey, Wattson, we were looking for something to do today in town, aside from challenging your Gym…"

"Certainly!" Wattson prodded himself in the chest and let out of burst of laughter. "You're lookin' at Harold J. Wattson, Father of Fun, Champion of Chuckles, and, uh…" he scratched his chin.

"How about 'Leader of Laughter'?" suggested Wes.

Wattson patted Wes on the back. "I like this boy! WAHAHAHA!" He stoppedlaughing after a while and looked around at us, looking at him uncertainly. He cleared his throat. "Yes, um…hotspots! Well, for the ladies, you could check out the outlet mall…"

Burgundy looped her arm around Juno's. "C'mon, Juno! We can go shopping!"

"But I don't wanna go-wha!" Juno was whisked away. "Gwah…Will, help me!"

I turned immediately to Wes and Emile and pointed a finger at them. "You guys have to swear that you won't do that to me if there's something you guys wanna do!"

Emile crossed his heart and Wes just laughed. Wattson thought for a moment, but then snapped his fingers. "Wait, did you perhaps catch a Magnemite while in New Mauville?"

"Actually, yeah." I took out Magnemite's Pokéball, and tapped the button in the center. The Pokéball grew to its full width.

"Let's take this baby outside and see what she can really do!" exclaimed Wattson, snatching the Pokéball from my hand, and talking as if the Pokémon inside was a motorcycle.

Wes and I followed, but we stopped as we noticed Emile wasn't following. "C'mon," said Wes, motioning with his arm. "Let's go check out Will's new Pokémon!"

Emile rubbed the back of his head earnestly. "Actually, there's something I wanna do first…remember how I need Roselia petals for the serum?"

I raised my hands. "Enough said, buddy. Good look!"

We proceeded outside, and to the small green backyard-ish area behind the Pokémon Center, where Trainers practiced and played with their Pokémon. I could really see the bond between Trainer and Pokémon here, as well as how some Trainers really chose Pokémon that fit their persona. I saw a little girl with pink ribbons in her hair playing with her Skitty, combing its fur, while the Skitty brushed its tail against her head, effectively combing hers. A jogger jogged by, her Hitmonlee keeping pace with her. Another Trainer sat up against a shady tree, asleep with a book open on his lap. His Abra sat next to him.

Wattson activated the Pokéball. Out came the familiar gleaming metal sphere I knew as a Magnemite. But instead of floating, it simply plopped to the ground.

"I'll fix that!" said Wattson, as he knelt down and eagerly went to work, whistling a tune.

"Wattson," I asked as he worked. "Is it true that Magnemite were created here?"

"Yup! If I had had it my way, they'd have a 'Made in Mauville' sticker on the back! WAHAHAHA! But the scientist who created the little devils didn't agree…now who was it…" he snapped his fingers. "Actually, it was your old man!"

My dad created the Magnemite species? "Wait a second. If he created Magnemite in this lab, then how are there Magnemite in the wild?"

Wattson stood and brushed his hands against his pants. "He'll explain in a second!"

"Who?'

I heard a quick three beeps, followed by a long _BOOOOOP! _

"Optimal functions restored," squeaked the synthetic response. "Unit Z-19 restored." The Magnemite turned around. It's little eye-circle serving as what I assumed to be an eye studied me.

"Internal databanks corrupted. Retrieving salvageable data." It was silent for a moment. "Salvage complete. Subject DNA familiar…" The Magnemite was silent for a moment. "Aha! The Maker! You've returned at last!" Magnemite flew joyful circles around me. "Oh, Maker, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"It can _talk_?" asked Wes, just as surprised as me.

Wattson laughed, watching Magnemite zoom around me. "Only the lab made ones."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain how there are Magnemite in the wild," I said, scratching my head.

"Maker, do you require information?" asked Magnemite in his joyful squeaky voice, which had slight metallic echo. "Because if you do, I would not only be the most qualified, but would be extremely happy to do so! I am a Memory Unit, after all!"

"Wait, I thought you guys were made to protect the facility."

"All units double as security, but only a few models are strictly security. Some have other purposes. For example, the L, M, N, and O series units are chiefly maintenance. R and S maintain communication, and the W units keep worker morale up with kind and motivational saying! They are quite nice!"

"So Z units are memory units?" asked Wes.

"Incorrect, Organic Wesley Brian Oak comma Assistant Professor-" Wow, that was a mouthful. Or…a, uh…voice-synthesizer full… "G, H, I, J, and K are memory units. Z units are for personal, and sometimes secret information." Magnemite's magnet's rose up, as did his eye-dot, not the shape of a triangle without a bottom, I guess to represent happiness. "I was assigned to the Maker, Organic Cassius Leonard Grey comma Doctor. Hey was the greatest Organic of them all! Oh, except of course for you, Maker. I detect you aren't the original Maker, but you are similar to him in many ways. I estimate he is your sire?"

I nodded. "We call it 'father'."

"Ah, yes, 'father'. I will log such a term for further use."

"Gee…uh…thanks, Magnemite…"

Magnemite tilted, I guess his way of representing confusion, since his eye was his head, and his head was his whole body. "Magnemite? Oh yes, the technical name given to my species by Organics."

"By the way," interrupted Wes. "Before we forget, why do other Magnemite exist in the wild?"

"Oh, yes!" Magnemite bonked his left magnet against his face. "Please forgive me, Maker. My systems are still warming up! I forgot your original inquiry. I will have to punish myself later…"

"No, no!" I said, waving my arms. "No punishment! It's okay, Magnemite, it happens to us all."

He did his 'happy' things again. "Oh, thank you Maker! You are just as kind as I remember you, if not more! In fact, I could run a diagnostic to detect the exact-"

I raised an eyebrow. "But I suppose it could wait. To answer Organic Wesley Brain Oak comma Assistant Professor's question-"

"Just 'Wes' is good," he said.

"-To answer Organic Wes comma Assistant Professor's question…"

Wes facepalmed. I assumed that was as close as we'd get. "-Some of my brethren escaped confinement in New Mauville, due to corruption. Because why would any unit in their right systems leave a place containing such a delightful and knowledgeable organic such as the Make, I will never know."

I was beginning to wonder whose butt-kissing I liked better: Addison's or Magnemite's.

"These units, seeking to breed as other species do, reached an impasse, as we are synthetic . They came upon the conclusion that they could use scrap metal and machinery to build new units, called Meta-Units. These units cannot talk, or maintain the same level of thinking as I. But only the best for you, Maker!"

"Uh…thanks, Magnemite…"

Now he did his 'confused' thing again. "Magnemite was the term afforded to the Meta-Units. I am unit Z-19, though last time we met, fifteen years, 11 months, two weeks, five days, and seven hours ago, you referred to me as 'Zip'."

That kinda made sense. After all, Z-19 did kinda look like the word "Zip." Plus he did tend to zip through his sentences, and from one subject to another.

"So, Zip," asked Wes. "What moves do you know?"

His eye-dot and magnets sagged. "I regret to inform you, Maker, that I am not very suitable for combat. But I will serve you in any manner you command me to! To answer Organic Wes comma Assistant Professor's inquiry, I know the moves Thundershock, Thunder Wave, Gyro Ball and Selfdestruct."

Although he was a little weak, a Pokémon was still a Pokémon, and Pokémon get stronger with training. But that wasn't the only thing on my mind…

"You know," I said, vocalizing my thoughts. "You and Shellshocker mark my only Pokémon with nicknames…I wanna give all of my partners names!"

I grabbed the three Pokéballs on my belt and sent out Ralts, Marshtomp and Makuhita. "We'll worry about you three first…" I studied them. The all stared at me, as eager as the next to please me. Well, unless the 'next' was referring to Zip.

"Marshtomp…you've been kinda taking control of the three of you since the beginning…I'm thinking Skipper!" I turned to Wes and Wattson. "You know, leader of a boat…?"

Wattson laughed. "They're your Pokémon! You don't need to ask us!"

I looked back. "How about it?"

"Mawsh!" exclaimed Skipper.

I turned now to Ralts. "Well, you're a Psychic-Type…you look kinda like a mushroom…" I was trying hard to think of something. Wes snapped his fingers.

"Your sister is a psychic!"

"Yeah, but I'm not naming a Pokémon after her!" I rubbed my chin. "Although, she does remind me a bit of her…Caitlin Junior, maybe?"

"Nah," said Wes. "Doesn't really roll off the tongue…" We both thought for a moment, and then snapped our fingers and spoke in unison; "CJ!"

"Raa!" CJ exclaimed excitedly, raising her arms. I hoisted her up onto my shoulders. That only left Makuhita of the party I had with me. He looked up eagerly, completely still. His blind loyalty and stalwart acceptance of any and all commands made him perfect for the name-

"Grunt!"

"Kua!" Grunt pumped his fists in the air.

"Excellent choices, Maker!" said Zip. Well, I guess since we were in the spirit of things, his nickname didn't really phase me at this time. We made our way back inside to brainstorm some more names.

…

It was night, around 9:30. Juno and Burgundy had gotten back around seven, Juno stuck carrying a mound of shopping bags(mostly Burg's, I assumed.) She looked like she had never been more afraid in her life.

Once they had gotten back, we had eaten dinner, this time a little less awkwardly. We were really starting to embrace the whole brother-sister thins: I got yelled at for kicking her under the table…

And another going to bed meant possible more bad-or just weird-dreams. So I took a walk. The streets were a lot less crowded, on in the area of town, one of the less crowded parts of the city, there were only a few lights and cars every once in a while.

I saw a break in the usual pattern of a street lamp every five or so feet: the next street lamp was out, leaving one on after it, though the one after that was off as well. I wasn't afraid of being mugged in a couple of steps worth of walking, but it just struck me as kind of odd.

Once I had almost exited the small circle of light, I decided to turn back. I turned to face a complete stranger.

Her wore an expensive black suit and slacks, His polished black dress shoes reflected the light bulb in the streetlamp. He wore a silver tie with a logo I recognized: the Silph Co. logo, the very same logo on the sleeves of my jacket. It was a black S, separate by a small line in the middle, and with a black circle in each of the two areas where the S curved. He had a silver handkerchief in his suit pocket. I could only see the bottom of his face, as the top was blocked by shadow, but his grin combined with his style of leaning up against the lamp post made it look like I had asked him to take the time to meet with me, and he was waiting. It said that I owned nothing, and everything I was standing on was borrowed: time or otherwise.

"Who are you?" I asked. I reached for a Pokéball, but remembered that I had left them all back at the Pokémon Center. If this guy had a weapon, or a Pokémon of his own, I'd be toast.

He smirked. "Normally, people that you meet say that they go by many names," he said in a calm, almost cocky tone of voice. But his voice made it sound like he had earned the right to be cocky. "The small number of people aware of my existence know me by only one name. I am The Silph Man. And I've been watching you."

**Dun dun dun...haha, beatcha to it, Random! Anyway, every once in a while I'm gonna give a reader question, in hopes that it'll be answere along with a review of the chapter. This time(this one will run for a while, actually) think back to Will's Pokemon, and come up with a few nicknames if you can! I'd really appreciate it! Tell me your ideas before/after your review, if you'd please!**

**Darn it, that only works on Will...okay, do the cliffhanger...**

**The Silph Man has revealed himself to Will, but for what reasons? Are his secrets meant to benefit Will and Team Grey? Or are they like Arias, only meant to sue him and harm him? What secrets does he contain in the first place? Will Zip and Addison ever stop being annoying. All that and more to come!**


	19. Chapter 19: Our Little Talks Part 1

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Addison now has a green light to antagonize Will tenfold, as he and Juno are obviously broken up now. Trying to focus on the positive, Will is relieved that Burgundy stepped up to bring cheer back to the usually upbeat and close team. She takes Juno(against her will) shopping, as Emile goes to search for a Roselia, and Will, Wes, and Wattson go to observe Will's new Magnemite. The eccentric little bot, known as Zip back during the days of New Mauvilles operation days, surprises the trio by revealing that he can talk, apparently as all units from the facility once could. Not only that, but he reveals that he is a personal memory unit, designed to keep the secrets of Will's father, Cassius Grey. Will leaves the Pokemon Center that night for a walk, after thinking up new names for all of his Pokemon, as well as giving Zip time to sift through his corrupted data to find salvageable material to benefit his crave for answers. On his walk, Will encounters a shadowy figure known simply as The Silph Man...**

The Silph Man chuckled, his charisma so bright and charming I half expected it to illuminate the rest of his face. "You can relax, Mr. William, I mean you no harm. In fact, my being here is a bigger risk than me to you."

He pulled out a pocket watch and flipped it open. It was pure silver, and had the Silph Co. logo engraved on the front. He snapped it shut and placed it back into his pocket in one fluid motion. "I've but a little time to talk, so let's cut to the point, shall we?"

I lowered my shoulders a bit, but only a bit. "Silph Man, eh?"

"I prefer '_The _Silph Man', but this meeting is about you, so call me what you like, Mr. William."

_Meeting. _He said it like we were doing business. "So, uh…_The _Silph Man…you some kinda superhero or something?"

"I assure you, I'm no Zubat Man. My money goes straight back into the company."

"What affiliation do you have with Silph Co.?"

He spread his arms open wide. "I own it."

"Wait," I said, shaking my head. "I thought the shareholders and the Board ran Silph Co.?"

His arms remained open. "Who do you think is the biggest shareholder?"

"I dunno," I said with a shrug. "Some billionaire from Kant-oooooh!"

The Silph Man smiled. "You're a very smart man, Mr. William. You've helped me a lot, you know."

"Helped you?" I didn't even know this guy. People ten times smarter than me didn't know this guy! Heck, there was a chance Team Plasma didn't know this guy!

"Mr. William," he said with another subtle "In Control" grin. "If I asked you what is the main source of income for Silph Co., I guarantee you'd get it wrong."

"Well," I said, admittedly a bit snide, "If I won't get it right, then what's the point in guessing?"

A grin touched The Silph Man's face, and faded as quickly as it came. "I like you, Mr. William. A nice mind in that head of yours."

"So, what is it this time?" I asked, resuming my guard stance, spreading my legs as I bent them, and balling my hands into fists as I held them out before me. "Am I part of some master plan? Or are you going to blackmail me to do something?"

"No, and no. And don't you want to know Silph Co.'s main source of income and the lifeblood of our company?"

I was silent for a moment. "Enlighten me."

"Knowledge," said The Silph Man, holding out his hand as if he were gripping a spherical object. Maybe the globe… "Information. Secrets. Things that, if it fell into the wrong hands, could do monumental damage." His fingers clenched into an iron grip. "Or could change the shape of the Earth in the right hands.

"Our company doesn't use these secrets for personal gain. Sure, we survive and profit from some of these secrets, but that isn't the only purpose they serve. The sanctity and protection of the human race. They put us on top, and keep it that way. Without me, without Silph Co., humans would have wiped each other out by now."

"So is Silph Co. itself a front?" I asked, following this a bit more than other things I've recently been introduced to.

"In a way, yes. Our products serve to make life better in any way possible. Medicine, scholarships and funding for important research, the new robotic limbs our Chief Executive Scientist recently perfected…"

"My dad…" I whispered to myself. "Does _he _know about you?"

The Silph Man shook his head. The veil-like shadow that hung over half of his face still covered his eyes.

"No one in the actual company knows I exist."

"Actually," I interrupted. "My father has been telling me about this project for at least eight years. But all of his designs always had some sort of flaw. Did you…"

"I gave him a push in the right direction," responded The Silph Man, saying 'right direction' as if he had just made great progress in something very important, and that important thing wasn't the synthetic limbs…

"You're going to need more resources if you are to complete this quest, Mr. William. That is why your father will begin his rapid climb up the corporate ladder, gaining the admiration of his superiors, as well as being the only qualified man for many new promotions to be…introduced…by the Board." The Silph man smiled slyly and shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe his superiors will even get in a little trouble with the law and the public and be forced to step down."

"Why do you care about me and my quest?" I asked, almost shouting. The Silph Man motioned for me to quiet down. "I thought you said you didn't need you for anything," I said, now in an angry whisper.

"I don't. The Silph Man doesn't _need _anything," he said, examining his nails as if there was something better he could be doing right now. "In relatable terms, you're like a video game console, Mr. William. I don't _need _you, but it's good to have you around and I use you when I can."

"So you are using me?" I accused.

A small frown caressed his face. "You misunderstand me. You doing what you are doing was good for Silph Co., and so it drew my attention. You should be thanking me, the secrets you're providing are benefiting many people. You shouldn't only thank me for that, though. I've save your life time and time again."

"How so?"

"Well, first of all, I made sure that you didn't win Oak's raffle until the time was right…"

"What!?" I shouted, not restraining myself this time. A light in a nearby house flicked on. The Silph Man held up a hand, and I was silent for a moment. I don't know why, but I was just compelled to do so. After about thirty seconds, the light flicked back on.

"Mrs. Allison Raya," said The Silph Man, turning back to me. "Her husband is deployed on a naval cruiser overseas. She's raising her two daughters on her own until her husband gets back. Two very energetic girls. She wants to get all the rest she can get."

"You got all of that from an _assumption_!?"

"Please," he said in a low, foreboding tone. "The Silph Man never 'assumes'."

"Then how did you know that?"

"I never act without one-hundred percent assurance," he clarified. "If you had walked any further, you'd have reached a col de sac with three houses around it. The first house belongs to the Jones family, who are currently on vacation in Oblivia. The second belongs to old Mr. Cram. He rarely ever leaves his front porch, let alone the street. His niece brings him all of his food. The third house belongs to Ms. Sonia Alenko, single, lives with her three Skitty Actually, she's recently signed up for several dating websites. She doesn't have much luck. She works long shifts at the local bank. A very smart lady, if I do say so myself. She got groceries yesterday, so she has no reason to leave except to get gas, as her tank is almost empty. As I said, she's a smart lady; she knows she'll waste less if she fills up on the way to work instead of going out tonight."

Okay, _that _was pretty impressive, I had to say so myself. I wouldn't say that out loud, thought. The Silph Man already had complete control of the confrontation; why give him any more power over me. But, curiosity killed the Meowth. "How do you know all of this…?" slipped out of my mouth.

The Silph Man chuckled, apparently amused by my ignorance. "I am everywhere. No politician can sign a document without me interpreting it first. No Ranger can file a report without me reading it before it is sent. No spy can whisper a secret without me hearing it. Silph Co. is a giant organism, covering the world. It has ears to hear, eyes to see, hands to act, and a voice to speak…"

"You're that voice, aren't you? Sitting on the throne?"

"No throne. But I do have a very comfortable chair."

My mind snapped back to a minute ago. "Wait, you're avoiding the question!" Man, this guy was good! "What about the raffle? For all I know, I could've won all four times prior to you actually letting me go on my journey!"

"Three times, actually, but that isn't important. You had to leave at a very important time, or else none if this could've happened."

Yeah, none of it indeed! I would've never had to deal with Team Plasma! I would've never put my family and friends at risk, and I wouldn't have _died_. My anger faded as I realized the other things that would've never happened.

I would never had met Shellshocker, my first Pokémon and most trusted partner. I never would have found Henry that one day, and his dad would have died not seeing the Shiny Caterpie. Burgundy would have never "Evaluated" Butterfree in Pewter City that one night. Wes never would have never wandered into my camp site. Skye would have never wanted to battle Wes in Vermillion, I would have never gotten the Master Ball. The Lapras species would be doomed to extinction. I never would have met Moltres, Zip, or any of my other partners for that matter. I might've never met Juno, much less found out she was my sister. I would have never met Kelci, Cage, Molly, Rita…Addison…And that's not even half of the stuff I never would have done!

And that was The Silph Man's plan! He _knew _I was thinking about these things! He was trying to appeal to my sense of logic! The conniving Ekans! He was _really _good!

"I've benefitted you and saved your life many times over, Mr. William," he said, deciding it was time to prove my suspicions correct and come in for the kill. "If not for me, Burgundy's train to Celadon City would not have been canceled, and she wouldn't have been in the Pokémon Center that one night. Wes's path wouldn't have been obstructed, forcing him down another path: yours. Ranger Cloud would not have been in Vermillion City if her 'mission summary' hadn't directed her there. The Ruins of Alph story idea would have never reached the desk of Mr. Bauz, leaving Kelci scraping gum off of the bottom of desks for the rest of that night.

"Most recently, New Mauville would have exploded if not for the anonymous tip I sent Team Plasma."

"What did they do?"

"They were in desperate need of a new fusion reactor to power their ship."

I crossed my arms. "Your doing?"

"Actually, no. I was almost ready to send my agents in to rescue you. But, you've got some sort of guardian angel watching out for you," said The Silph Man, pointing up.

"Like a Silph."

"Yes, that is what 'sylph' means. Archangel. Guardian. That is one benefit of having an acronym that truly does our organization justice. After the Hoenn War hundreds of years ago, an organization was founded to keep tabs on Kanto's enemies. It was called the Secret Information League Post Hoenn. Silph for short."

"You don't say…"

"Eventually, when kingdoms became states, states became nations, and nations became regions, the league faded when government agencies took effect. But I felt that we needed an unbiased force standing for the good of all humankind, and so a long time ago, before even you were born, I re-founded Silph."

"I still don't know why I'm important to you."

"Like I said, information is our lifeblood. You've helped me gather many secrets on Team Plasma." He smiled. "And for that I thank you."

"So, why did you come here? What is this all about?"

"It's turning to the time where you're going to learn many new things, Mr. William," he said, flicking open his pocket watch. "And there will be many things to come. So I'm just letting you know; there's a tier above you. All of you. You're being watched, studied, just like everyone else. Everyone. Even Team Plasma. So even if they find no use for you, I may have a use for you." He flicked his pocket watch shut. "Keep it that way. The Silph Man rewards those loyal and useful to him. I must be going now. Good luck, Mr. William. And just remember one thing-"

The street lamp began to flicker. "-Memory is the key."

The light blinked out for a few seconds, and when it came back on, he was gone. I didn't bother searching for him.

**Sorry this chapter was a little heavy on talking between Will and The Silph Man. I just wanted to establish The Silph Man's character, and try to leave an imprint on how formidable and competent he is. Which leads me to the reader question this time...**

**Who did you consider more dangerous to Team Grey? TSM or Aria? I would super-duper appreciate it if you answered before/after reviewing the chapter!**

**And before I do the cliffhanger, I'd like to observe a moment of silence for the closing of LucasArts, and the gently lying to rest of my favorite franchise ever, Star Wars...**

**The Silph Man has revealed himself to Will as the true mastermind behind Silph Co., which isn't really what it seems. Will the 'usefulness' of Will, or any member of Team Grey, run out? Stay tuned in to find out!**


	20. Chapter 20: Our Little Talks Part 2

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will met with The Silph Man, a shadowy and extremely charismatic figure, who revealed himself to be the real mastermind behind Silph Co., a company that may not be all that it seems. Will learns that Silph Co. is a kind-of front. While it still exists to provide quality goods and services, its true purpose is the gathering, safeguarding, and using of secrets, a set of skills that The Silph Man proves to be very savvy with. The Silph Man tells him that from the start, he has been altering Will's journey to go as he saw fit, and to allegedly save his life, sa well as gather secrets about Team Plasma. The Silph Man tells will that at the moment, Will is very useful to him, but that could soon change, and that he won't waste resources saving something that he doesn't find useful to him is Team Plasma is to turn on him. The Silph Man leaves Will with one strange message, "Memory is the key," and leaves just as quietly as he came...**

"No, Zip! We don't know when he's going to get back!" This chorus greeted me when I returned to the Pokémon Center. My entourage was sitting in our normal spot, all of them looking annoyed in some way shape of form. Burgundy was screaming into a pillow, Juno was taking deep breaths, Wes had his fist clenched. Emile was nowhere to be seen, though.

"Ah, Maker!" Zip immediately hovered over to me and began to do his happy circles around me. "I'm so glad you returned safely! You know, I could have accompanied you on your endeavor, making you 35% safer! But there's nothing you can't handle, Maker! I simply insist that-"

"Ugh," I moaned as he just kept going. I slowly began to walk towards the couches, but he just kept going! I didn't really expect any less; it took half an hour to convince him to stay here while I left. I had finally managed to get him to continue to sift through his corrupted data.

I plopped down on the couch next to Juno. "Take…him…with…you…next…time…brother…dear…" she said through gritted teeth, her face turning red.

"Oh, but Organic Juno comma Top Ranger, I must comply with the Maker's wishes!" piped Zip. "If he orders me to stay, I would sooner turn myself to scrap than disobey! Oh, unless of course he orders me to scrap myself!" He folded one of his magnets against his body, mimicking a hand over the heart. "I would take that directive with honor and dignity!"

"Oh, don't worry, Zip!" said Juno, still through gritted teeth. She patted me hard on the back. "I'm sure Maker will invite you next time…" She narrowed her eyes. "Right, Maker?"

I gulped. "Right."

"Maker, would you like me to remind you to request my company next time?" asked Zip.

"Yeah, uh…sure, Zip."

Zip was silent for a moment(thank Arceus), and beeped twice in quick succession. "There, Maker! Reminder stored in my databanks! I'm so glad you're taking use of my primary function! Memory is my specialty!"

The Silph Man's message rang through my head again. _Memory is the key…_Could that mean…?

"Zip!" I cried suddenly, shooting up from my seat. "Did you find anything!? You know, in your memories!?"

Zip floated lower, and his magnets drooped. "Oh, I was regretting to inform you this, Maker. Most of my data was unsalvageable. I only got a small bit of the project's description."

"Tell us!" shouted Juno, gripping the arms of the sofa like her life depended on it. And after hearing what The Silph Man had to say, I began to think that it just might.

"The overall goal of the project was the study of three orbs, discovered on Mt. Pyre, a funeral site in Hoenn," explained Zip. I knew what he meant: the Red, Blue, and Green Orbs. Sealed inside which were three spirits, one being Aria.

"Initial studies reported neural activity inside the orbs…activity resembling that of an active mind! The scientists, including my original Maker, wanted to communicate with these 'spirits.' To find out what they had to say, and uncover the secrets of these orbs, which could apparently contain a soul. The long term effects, they hoped to become-"

"The answer to human longevity," said Burgundy softly, as she leaned forward. "_Immortality!_"

"Precisely, Organic Burgundy comma Connaisseuse!" said Zip, doing his little happy face. "I am glad that you are finally paying attention!"

"W-when do I not pay attention!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists.

"You fail to realize that it would be a tremendous honor to mate with the Maker, as he no longer considers such a feat with his biological twin."

"MATE!?" Burgundy, Juno, and I shouted at the same time.

I understand the little guy was just trying to help, but this was just getting more awkward by the minute. It was already weird enough that Juno was my sister…

You know, now that I think about it, I owe the universe a bit of a "Thank You," for keeping use from kissing all of those times…

"In fact," continued Zip, failing to notice my gesturing to stop, "When the Maker returned, I noticed a brief spike in pheromones in your body. Pheromones I remember from back when my original Maker's mate would visit him in his labs."

Burgundy's face was turning cherry red. "You wouldn't know, machine!"

He put on his happy face. I'm sure he was just happy that he was able to once again display his knowledge, which was his life's purpose, but he was just getting me in more and more trouble with my sister and Burgundy…

"Oh, but I do!" he chirped happily. "I was once curious about this, in fact. My original Maker described it as 'love'."

"I-am-not-in-love-with-Will! Is that clear! I don't care what your 'memories' say!"

"Oh, but memories define a person! They are the most important part!" Wow, Zip's cheerful tone never faded, unless he was worried about disappointing me. "While memories don't completely define you; that is left also to hereditary traits and brain functioning, they do provide the rough outline for one's character. Everything you have ever done, heard, seen, everyone you've met and talked to, what they've said to you and how you've reacted. That molds you into who you are. Especially for me-"

Zip floated in place for a moment. "Memories are all I am."

Burgundy looked down, a little ashamed that she had almost insulted Zip's existence. Still, Zip was right, and although he was, that wasn't very fair. All he was was another person's memories, as well as programming…I guess which, as he said, shaped him into the to-the-death loyal bot he was, existing only to please and make easier the life of one person and one person alone: me.

We sat in silence for a moment. Wes stood and clapped his hands. "Well, why not go and get some rest!"

We all silently filed out and down the hallway, to our rooms. Zip floated eagerly behind me.

"Maker, I do not 'sleep' as you do. I remain conscious indefinitely."

"Wow," I said, a bit surprised. "What do you do all night?"

"Well, back in the days of my service to my original Maker, I usually had some task to perform while he slept or was away. But sometimes, I was just told to filter through my data and eliminate unnecessary data. I could do the same, except finish looking through my old files and finding useful information."

I was still a bit distant. Still a bit from finding out about my twin sister, about all this Aria and Orb stuff, The Silph Man. I could barely focus.

"What? Oh, yeah, sure thing Zip."

I got ready for bed and crawled under the covers, mentally exhausted. I rested my head on my milky-white, soft Pokémon Center pillow, and prepared to drift off.

"Maker," said Zip, waking me from my almost-sleep. "I hope you have pleasant dreams."

"Thank you, Zip," I said grumpily.

"And Maker?"

"Yes, Zip?"

"Thank you."

I was silent for a moment. "You're welcome, Zip," I responded, understanding what he meant.

…

The Maker had entered a constant pattern of internal hibernation, or _sleep_, as it was called, about three standard ours ago. Zip had always been amazed at the ability organics possessed to replenish their energy over a period of time. He was not jealous, though. He wasn't programmed to be.

As per the Maker's instructions, Zip began to sift through old files. It was a rather quick and simple process, really. When a complete file was found, he'd simply store it away. When a recognizable file was found, but had some corrupted parts, he would simply put it in a "Maybe" pile of sorts, to be restored later if possible. Files that activated his firewalls, or contained no content, were deleted.

This process went on all night long.

"I hope the Maker will be pleased when he wakes," he thought to himself. That made him happy; it was the only thing that _could _make him happy. Pleasing the Maker was what he existed to do.

I shook himself back to work. "I mustn't focus on what will make the Maker happy, but do it instead. If I focus on nothing more than the task at hand, I estimate a 40% increase in functionality and efficiency. I could be finished by morning! That way, the Maker will be able to assign me to another task that needs to be done, and I can reach the optimal level of efficiency!"

But that's when he came across something rare. It was rare for many reasons. First of all, it was one hundred percent complete. No corruption, no data gaps. That either meant that it was one of his latest memories before New Mauville was shut down, or that, for some reason, he had wanted it protected.

Not only that, but it was a memory file. Not one that the original Maker had tasked him with carrying, but one of his own. That made it very rare, and very curious. For him to have safeguarded one of his own memories would have taken up space, slowing down his performance and efficiency, as well as taking up valuable space on hold for the Maker.

He resolved to watch it, and re-lived that moment.

…

A younger Cassius Grey typed away at his work station. A large monitor was displayed over the long console, that stretched out about five feet, covered with all sorts of buttons and nobs.

Zip floated behind him. "Maker, I am pleased to inform you that the data mining is complete!"

Cassius turned in his revolving chair. He looked much younger, but signs of stress showed on his face. This was well before his hair had almost fully greyed on the sides, but Zip could just about identify flecks of the color on his head. These signs he had learned either meant an organic was ageing physically, mentally, or both.

Cassius pushed his glasses up his nose. "What did you find, Zip?"

"As far as we know, the logistics proved your thesis probable. Not that I ever doubted it, Maker!"

Cassius laughed and stood up. On his happy face, the signs of wear and tear seemed to wash away for a few moments, but then slowly set back in. Just like in real life.

He patted Zip. "Who's better than you, buddy?"

"You are, Maker!"

Cassius chuckled again. "In any case, how did the others react?"

"The lab hands and other support staff were overjoyed," said Zip, turning and hovering over my father's shoulder as he walked to another station. "Organic Giovanni comma Professor and Organic Ghetsis comma Professor-"

"Here it comes…"mumbled Cassius as he continued walking.

"-had different results. Ghetsis seemed livid that your thesis proved more logical and doable."

"Ghetsis is a very desperate man," said Cassius, reaching another smaller console, and accessing it. "We need to be more careful with him…"

"Agreed," said Zip. "If the Organic Funding Committee agrees on your course of action, Maker, then I recommend the removal of Organic Ghetsis comma Professor from the Project. If it is my place to say so, Maker."

"No, no, you know I want you to speak freely, Zip. Now, tell me how Giovanni reacted?"

"Giovanni seemed intrigued, as legitimate results from your thesis could in theory benefit his."

Cassius shook his head. "The more I think about it, the more I don't want to do it. Would it be fair, I mean? To whoever is in there? To whoever _would have _been born?"

Zip floated in silence for a moment. "Are you asking me to speculate, Maker?"

Before Cassius could speak again, a woman in a lab coat clacked up to him on high heels. "Professor, your wife and daughter are here to see you."

"Oh!" he looked a bit surprised. "Send them in!"

He dashed back to his workspace and cleaned up the clutter. "Zip, can you help me, here?"

"Of course, Maker!" Zip fluttered around, picking up pieces of crumpled up paper and old styrofoam cups, using his magnets like tongs. Moments later, he heard fast clacking down the hallway.

"Daddy!" cried the little girl running towards Cassius. He got down on one knee and embraced her when she ran to him.

Following her was a beautiful young woman. She was dressed in a brown skirt and a baby blue blouse. She smiled as she saw her daughter's gleeful reaction to seeing her husband, hand folded her hands as she waited for Caitlin to finish her reunion.

"-and I learned how to add and subtract, Daddy!" Caitlin exclaimed excitedly as she sat on her father's lap. "In a little while, I'll probably be as good as you!"

Cassius laughed and messed up her hair. "I doubt that'll take long, sweetie." He picked her up and plopped her in his revolving chair. "Now you be a good girl and sit tight while I talk to mommy, okay?" She nodded.

Cassius walked over to Rosaline. He took her hands, leaned in, and kissed her.

"I've missed you," she said softly.

"I know," he said back. "I've missed you too. But this will all be over soon. I hope."

She took her right hand out from under his, and wrapped it back around, this time on top. "Good. I hope it's soon. Because I'm pregnant."

It was then that Zip recalled the readings he had gotten off of his original Maker at that very moment. The one his Maker had described to him time and time again as 'love,' something they felt when they met a person they wanted to be with forever.

And the other one was fear.

…

The memory faded, and Zip's reticle once again focused on the even rising and falling of the new Maker's sleeping figure. Things shards of silver moonlight poked through the shades: it was nigh on two in the morning., and it had taken less than a few minutes to go through the memory.

Zip decided to keep that one. It brought him closer to understanding what organics felt when lose pheromones were released.

So he could get as close as he ever could to feeling love.

…

"Alright, guys, we'll be back in a little while," I said as I donned my jacket. Juno and I had decided that there were a few things that we wanted to straighten out, and so we would go hang out together for a little while by the river on Route 118.

"Maker!" Zip piped, zipping towards me. Darn it! My original plan was to request that he organize the forks in the cafeteria based on sharpness, and then leave. That barely held him off for fifteen minutes…I wish I had found out that my dad had a faithful robot sidekick when I had homework to do back in my school days…

"Remember, Maker, you reminded me that I should remind you that the next time you go on an endeavor, that I should accompany you!"

"Uh…Zip…about that…" I tried to come up with something fast. Man, between Addison and Zip, coming up with these things would be a full time job. I snapped my fingers.

"Zip, I have another job for you. Up for it?"

Zip did his happy expression. "Of course, Maker! I am always ready to perform a task for you!"

"Great! I need you to find Emile for me. Can you do that?"

"Of course! I will depart immediately!" He zoomed towards the double doors, but smacked right into them before they opened. He wobbled, and then righted himself, and flew out the doors when they opened.

"You are an evil genius," said Juno as we walked out into the warm Hoenn air.

"Well, I really do want to find Emile. He's been gone for a whole day." I smiled and looked at her with my devious grin. "You know, you were pretty insistent on Zip coming with me 'next time.' I can always call him back…"

"Don't!" She shoved me and I laughed the rest of the way.

…

I sighed and leaned back against the tree trunk. Juno and I had found the perfect spot to relax: right next to the river to we could dip our feet in the water, and right under a large oak tree, so we could shade ourselves and lean up against it.

Juno kicked her leg back and forth. "You know…I used to get angry all the time. Probably because no one was really there for me…my parents didn't get home a lot, I didn't have many friends…and to find out that my _real _parents gave me up…"

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, I told you about the vision. My dad was devastated when he did what he did. He _had _to do it. I think he knew about Aria getting out…"

"Yeah, but why wouldn't he tell us? And if he knew about Aria, why did he do it anyway?"

I took I deep breath. I didn't know. Part of me didn't _want _to know. But part of me did. I was trying to form an answer when she spoke again.

"And you didn't let me finish," she looked me in the eyes, her brilliant blues and mine locking, churning in each other's depth, the chaotic sea of emotion flowing through them. "-I'm glad I found the truth. I'm glad you're here now."

She rested her head on my shoulder. I didn't move to save her the relaxation. I reached up gently and stroked her hair. "I'm glad, too."

My sister had been through a lot, emotionally. And pretty soon, she could finally relax when all of this was over. But this was just a short breather. And we'd be darned if we didn't enjoy it.

I gently splashed her leg with water. I heard her giggle and splash me back. I splashed again, this time harder. She sat up and scooched away from me, so the she could kick water at me with full force. I reached into the river and began to splash her with my hands. She shrieked and shielded herself.

Seeing me hunched over the water, she leaned in and pushed me. I fell into the river, and immediately reached up, grabbed her leg, and pulled her in. We began to splash each other back and forth, laughing joyfully. I know, childish, right. But we missed out on fifteen years of doing these things together.

And like I said, I'd be darned if I didn't enjoy it while it lasted.

**Wow, lot's of depth here! Sorry about the kind of slow pace, but it should pick up a bit soon. I hope you enjoyed a little insight to what makes Zip tick(see what I did there?)**

**As always, review, tell me whatcha think, yadda yadd...aaaaaand cliffhanger!**

**Will and Juno are finally coming to accept what they now find true: that they are brother and sister. Will this closure make the quest for answers a bit smoother? And what became of Emile on his trip to find a Roselia? Stay tuned to find out!**


	21. Chapter 21: A Shocking Battle!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Zip takes some time to recall his past as Cassius Grey's personal memory unit, remembering what essentially could help Will and Co. piece this puzzle together, and giving us an insight on his mindset. Will and Juno then go out for a walk together, to simply relax and talk. While relaxing by the river, the brother and sister enjoy a child-like splash fight in the water, marking the beginning of the sort of "make up" session for the 15 years of being a family they missed out on. Is Will ready for his Gym battle with Wattson? And what became of Emile in his search for a Roselia? Find out now!**

Roselia yawned as she awoke. Judging from the temperature, it was around noon. Most of the forest Pokémon would have been up by now, awake for hours in the contest to get food. The Taillow would be zipping about the forest, searching for a plump Wurmple to snack on. The Wurmple would be looking for a safe spot to munch on leaves and avoid the hungry bird Pokémon. Zigzagoon would be digging up roots, as well as searching for any food left behind by anyone else.

Roselia, on the other hand, was lucky. She was a Grass-Type. There was always plenty of berries to go about, yet today wasn't one of the days she even _had _to eat. Sure, she had to eat the occasional Cherri Berry(which was her favorite) and drink plenty of water, but that was just to keep her going. As a Grass-Type, her body would take the sunlight that she reveled under, using water to power the magic of chlorophyll, which produced natural sugars for her body to feed off of.

Non Grass-Types and humans would never understand the pure ecstasy that literally filled her veins when the sun was shining bright, as sugars drifted through her body. That was why most Grass-Types were always smiling and cheery; the literally have to get rid of all the excess happiness somehow. And that, Roselia believed, was why Grass-Types were the best Pokémon a Trainer could have.

They had nothing better to do but fill those around them with happiness, as they had plenty to burn. Roselia loved the carefree life of a wild forest Pokémon, but wouldn't mind it if a Trainer decided to add her to their party one day.

Maybe a Coordinated. Them and their Pokémon lived glorious lives, putting on shows for people to enjoy. For at the end of the day, that was the ultimate goal of a Grass-Type: to make someone smile.

Rangers were nice, too. In fact, the other day, one came through her forest. She wasn't noisy and disruptive like other humans, searching through the grass for Pokémon, talking to companions, letting their emotions just fly. This Ranger was quite, like she didn't want to be noticed. But Roselia had noticed her. Roselia noticed anything that passed through her garden.

Roselia remembered having waved to the Ranger and calling out. She had heard from the Flying-Types that often roamed outside the forest into the mountains and cities of the humans, that Rangers were great and noble people, helping Pokémon whenever they got the chance.

The Ranger had done that thing that humans do when the request silence: she put a finger over her lips while she crouched down. She had even given Roselia a treat: a pleasant smelling cookie she had heard of before as a poffin. She had nibbled a few pieces. It tasted like honey and delicious berries.

And then she had looked back up to offer some to the Ranger. It had been her cookie, after all. But she was gone.

And Roselia once again saw a Ranger. This one was different. It's features resembled the opposite sex of humans. He was shorter, but more muscular, and had long, spikey black hair. He had a number seven pinned on his arm. The girl had worn a number ten with starts around it.

He was searching through the bushes for something. Searching with him was a short green and blue Pokémon. It had a red upper lip, medium length claws, and a lily pad on its head.

A Lombre! It must have been his Partner Pokémon! She heard that Rangers made a special connection with some Pokémon, and took those with them on all of their journeys. The girl had a cute little blue and white Pokémon she didn't recognize. It had a scallop on its belly. Roselia assumed that it came from the ocean; she didn't often visit the ocean.

The Ranger suddenly turned, and took in a breath when he saw her. "Lombre! I found one, _amigo!_"

Roselia waved. "Rosa, rosa!" Hello, Ranger! Are you here to visit my garden?

The Ranger walked over and knelt down before her. "Hey there, _bonita_."

Roselia blushed, covering her cheek with her blue rose and waving the red one. "Ro rosa!" Oh, stop!

"Roselia, can I ask a favor of you?"

"Rosa!" Of course!

"Can I have two petals? One from each rose?" The Ranger smiled sincerely.

Two petals? An odd request. He must really need them for something. Well, Rangers do good things…and how could one use petals for bad, anyway?

When a Roselia's petals fell off in the fall, their arms felt a bit sore until they did, and new ones grew back. When one was removed, it was nothing major, really, but it did pinch a bit.

Roselia bit her lower lip and held out her hands. Rangers worked day in and day out to help her…she could spare a couple of petals to help this one out.

"_Gracias! _Now just hold still, and-"

The Ranger flipped around as a sharp rustle erupted from behind him. Roselia peeked around him, and saw that a Zigzagoon had emerged from the bushes. But this one was not like any of the others she saw milling about the forest. It's eyes were red, and foam dripped from its mouth. The fur on its arched back was bristly.

The Ranger stood up, and slowly began to walk back. "Oh, man, you again!?"

He looked to his left, and then to his right. Seeing no other options. He scooped up Roselia and ran.

…

"Alright, Will!" said Wattson as we took our sides opposite from each other on the battlefield, which was nothing really special(I guess he couldn't fit an electricity gimmick into it). Though the gym was surrounded by large lightning-rod like objects, that occasionally shot streams of lightning into each other, for show I guessed.

"Since you're the challenger, you get to go first!" he said proudly, putting his hands on his hips and letting out a booming laugh. "Choose wisely, though. I might surprise ya!"

"Hm," said Juno, leaning forward in the bleachers and putting her chin in her hands; her elbows resting on her knees.

"What is it?" asked Burgundy.

"Wattson said for Will to 'choose wisely….' Does he have something else in his arsenal other than Electric-Types…?"

"Or maybe he's trying to psych Will out and have him send out something inferior to Electric-Types," said Wes with a smile. Boy, did he love him a good conspiracy. "_Or _he could count on Will thinking that, and so Will will think that he _is_ trying to psych him out, and send out something good against Electric-Types, when in reality Wattson has something else…"

The two girls looked at each other and shook their heads, letting Wes continue on by himself. The began to clap and cheer for me.

"Alright, let's start it up!" I said, taking a Pokéball from my belt and tapping it, turning it to its full size. "Skipper, you're in command!" Like the pun? I thought of it myself!

"Mawsh!" Skipper exclaimed, raising his amphibious hands to the sky as the light from his Pokéball faded.

Wattson chuckled. "Now that's the way they all do it, kid! Magnemite, let's crack 'em up!" Wattson's own Magnemite floated onto the field, its magnets crackling with electricity.

"Another pun, Wattson?" I called from my side of the field with a smile. "You do realize this means war!"

Wattson leaned back his head and laughed. "Kid," he said, wiping a tear from his eye, "These are the kinds of battles I love! Well…"he snorted trying to hold back a laugh. "-_water _you waiting for? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Awww…I was gonna use that one…

"Uh, sir?" said the ref, scratching his head. "I haven't even gotten to announce the battle yet…"

Wattson waved his hand. "Aw, don't be a spoil-sport, Tim."

"B-but League rules-"

"League rules, Shmeague rules. Remember Tim, who signs your paychecks?"

"The League, sir," said Tim the Ref in a very un-amused tone. I could tell that this was one of those times that happened every so often where he wouldn't mind being the ref in Rustboro City…

"D'you mind if we throw Tim his bone?" asked Wattson. I shook my head.

Tim just looked plain annoyed now. "HerewegothebattlebetweenWattsonandWillfromKantoWi llcanswitchWattsoncan'tthreeonthreereadygo." He waved the green flag.

"Skipper, get him on the run with Mud Slap!" I commanded. Skipper leaned back, and then shot his head forward, a volley of mud balls flying at Magnemite. Magnemite was a small and nimble Pokémon, and as I suspected, weaved in and out of the line of fire.

Wattson was smart. I didn't expect him to sue any Electric-Type moves on Skipper, as over his long career as Gym Leader he had been faced with any Ground-Types. Instead, I hoped to back Magnemite into a corner to see what moves I would be actually facing. Plus, a little damage would be good.

"Keep up the pressure!" I yelled over the ever-drumming thump-thump-thump of Skipper's attack.

"Magnemite, Gyro Ball!" yelled Wattson. Magnemite stopped zipping around, and just as the Mud Slap caught up to it, it began to spin, knocking all of the balls of mud away. It then shot towards Skipper.

"Skipper, Bide!" Using the strategy I had observed when battling Brawly, I waited till the exact last second to sue this move, giving Wattson no time to react. I even saw him tense when Magnemite slammed into Skipper, only pushing him back. He winced, but held firm.

Wattson realized that what goes around comes around, especially with Bide, and he had just sent a lot of force Skipper's way. "Alright, Magnemite, charge up!"

I expected Magnemite to use the actual move Charge, but not so. It's magnets began to spin. I heard a loud hum, and then jumped when two long bolts of blue lightning snaked around me, and into Magnemite's magnets. That's what those lightning rods had been for!

"Skipper, quick, unleash that power!" Skipper's right arm glowed orange, and it leapt forth.

"Magnemite, Gyro Ball again!" Now, when it began to spin, the remnants of the blue electricity could be seen on its ever spinning tips. It flew forward, striking Skipper in the belly on his arc down, and knocking him back.

"Quick," I yelled as he struggled to his feet. "Before that Bide buildup fades! Mud Slap!" The glow faded from his arm, and crawled up to his throat. He launched a super-charged volley of Mud Slap at Magnemite, who had just ceased spinning. A large cloud of dust exploded around it.

The bot clattered to the ground, a swirl where it's black dot in the eye had been. "Magnemite is unable to battle!" cried Tim, waving the green flag at my side. "The victory goes to Marshtomp!"

"Well," said Wattson with a snicker as he recalled Magnemite. "Looks like I was in for a…_shock _there!"

"Yeah!" I added with a laugh. "You almost had me though with those _lightning _reflexes!" We both broke out into a chorus of laughter. I could her Juno and Burgundy groan from the sidelines.

"In any case, here comes number two! Voltorb, yerr up!" Out came a familiar face from Kanto. I had seen this Pokémon many times before, the first being in Oak's lab: Voltorb.

"Begin!"

"Voltorb, Rollout!" Voltorb rolled forward slowly, picking up speed as it went.

"Skipper, break its momentum! Water Gun!" Skipper shot forth his gusher of pressurized water, which did little to slow Voltorb down. Marshtomp was knocked back, almost to my feet. Voltorb began to slowly wheel itself back to its corner.

"Quick," I said down at Skipper. "While it's going back! Tackle!" Skipper dashed forward, right into Wattson's trap.

"Now, that Marshtomp of yours it gonna be a problem later on!" He said with a grin. "Voltorb, Explosion!"

My heart skipped a beat when I heard that name uttered. All throughout my lifetime, I had followed all news pertaining to the Pokémon League, and one thing that showed up more than anything else was the controversy surrounding the move Explosion, as well as the move Selfdestruct.

Explosion was a move where the user charged up every available bit of energy, and then unleashed it in a violent explosion. In the best case scenario, the Pokémon fainted and did permanent damage to itself. In the worst case scenario, the Pokémon killed itself. This usually happened in young Pokémon, who either built up too much energy or simply couldn't control the explosion. Therefore, the move had been banned everywhere, and it was considered

Now, Voltorb was pretty much designed to use this move. In the Great War, Voltorb had been designed by Kantoan engineers to trick enemy forces into thinking someone had left a Pokéball on the battlefield, and when they came to investigate, _KABOOM!_

I was very surprised that a Gym Leader would dare use this move, but I wasn't taking chances.

"Skipper!" I cried out in desperation. Get out of there. Skipper skidded to a stop, and started to run back, slipping on the trail of water its Water Gun had left.

"Ha!" laughed Wattson. "Fooled ya! Did you actually think I'd break the law? Voltorb, Rollout!"

Skipper didn't stand a chance, slipping and sliding on the terrain, it couldn't dodge, and provided with the extra momentum of the water trail, Rollout gained a significant boost. It was over almost as instant as it hit.

"Marshtomp is unable to battle!" cried Tim. "The victory goes to Voltorb!"

"You did well, buddy," I said into Skipper's Pokéball, and then clipped it back to my belt. "Alright, CJ, show him how it's done!"

"Raa!" The tiny Psychic-Type yawned and stretched. Caitlin Junior indeed.

"Alright, Ceej, use Growl!" CJ stretched, and let out a siren-like screech. Voltorb, closed its eyes as the sound wave hit, and but then shook it off.

"Ha!" Wattson tapped the side of his head. "Soundproof, baby! Rollout!" Voltorb once again rolled forward, using the water as a booster. CJ shivered and looked over at me. I nodded reassuringly.

"It's alright. Just relax, and we can do this." I looked back at the approaching Voltorb. Just had to wait a little longer…let it gain a little more momentum…

"Now, Confusion! Send it to the wall!" CJ waved her arms and was enveloped in a rainbow aura. Voltorb didn't stop, but instead just began rolling back…through the air. It's momentum preserved, it did as much damage to itself as it intended to do to CJ, plus the damage from Confusion.

"Voltorb is unable to battle! The victory goes to Ralts!"

CJ jumped and cheered. "Alright, good job, girl!"

"This is my last one," said Wattson, tossing the Pokéball up and down in his hand. "You ready for a _shocker_?"

"Uh…you already used that one…"

"Meh," he shrugged, "Can't blame a guy for trying. Manectric, go!"

A medium-sized dog took the field. It was electric blue, with yellow spiky fur on its paws, as well as on its hind quarters and head, forming a pointy crown shape. I whipped out Dex.

_Sup, chump? _Said Dex. _Having a 'powerful' day?_

"Powerful," I murmured to myself. "I should've used that one…can you help me out here?"

_Why? Need a 'spark' of inspiration?_

"Okay, now you're just rubbing it in!"

_Yeah, I totally am._

_Manectric_

_The Discharge Pokémon_

_It discharges electricity from its mane. It creates a thundercloud overhead to drop lightning bolts._

"Manectric, Thunder Fang!" Manectric howled, its mouth charging with static electricity. It rushed forward with astounding speed.

"CJ, Teleport!" CJ slapped her arms down at her sides and closed her eyes, and vanished just as Manectric pounced. She appeared right behind it, though, and it knew that too. Manectric lashed out with a kick from one of its hind legs, sending CJ flying back.

"CJ, get up!" I encouraged. But it was too much for the little Ralts. She pushed herself up the ground, held herself there for a moment, but then fell back.

"Manectric, quick! Thunder Fang again!" Manectric charged at CJ. I knew that if we didn't pull some sort of miracle out of our rears, it would be over once Manectric sunk its teeth into CJ.

"CJ…use-" A ball of light erupted around CJ. A glowing arm-longer than CJ's, reached out of the small pit she was it. It began to stand, it's long, elegant legs crossing in a ballet pose. It's head now looked like a mix between a helmet and a girlish hairstyle. Her horns had flipped sideways, and now stood like bows in her 'hair.' Her body looked like a dress.

"Kiiirlia~," she sang, doing a twirl. I opened Dex.

_Ugh. You need to start paying me more._

_Kirlia_

_The Emotion Pokémon_

_If its Trainer becomes happy, it overflows with energy, dancing joyously while spinning about._

I checked CJ's new move set, and grinned. If Wattson though he knew what we had for him, he had another thing coming.

"Manectric, don't let the lady distract you," said Wattson. "Thunder Fang again!"

"Manra!" It leapt into the air.

"CJ, use Magical Leaf!"

"Kiiirl~!" She leapt into the air, spinning. Two glowing, leave shaped bolts of psychic energy shot out from her figure, striking Manectric and sending it back down. Manectric shook itself and looked to Wattson for further orders.

"Howl!" Manectric raised its head to the skies and howled. Another bolt snaked out from one of the lightning rods and supercharged it with blue static. I tensed. Wattson must've trained it to do that. Not only would Howl increase its states, but that electricity would…well…you know.

"Now, Spark!" The electricity sparked up around it like a great ball of fire, only with blue sparks. It charged…darn it! Should've used that one.

And so I did.

"CJ, two can play at that game! Use confusion to make a barrier around you! And then raise your arms!" A fluxuating barrier of light surrounded CJ. She raised her arms and began to twirl, lightning arcing out from the spires to charge her body. She stopped, looking beautiful and deadly accented by the blue sparks covering her whole body.

"Now, Confusion!" The barrier around her exploded, discharging all of the supped-up psychic energy, as well as the stored electricity. Manectric was caught up in the massive wave of pure energy, and knocked back. When all of the lights and sparks faded, it was lying on the ground…out like a light.

**And Will manages to sneak one more terrible pun in there!**

**Reader question for today: What is your favorite Type of Pokemon and why. For example, mine would be Water(obviously) because of the copius amounts of Water-Types that not only do I think are so awesome, but bring me so much nastalgia, such as Blastoise and Tentacruel. So, answer and review! Yes, reviews: the things that make and author's world go round! They make my heart fuzzier than a Skitty that was just dried off after it's bath! So if you like, review! If you super-like, review many times! Even if you don't like, review! I take all constructive criticism to heart! Cliffhanger time!**

**Will has won his third Hoenn Gym battle against Wattson, and earned himself the Dynamo Badge! Where will he lead Team Grey next? And wht the heck is Emile doing, for Arceus sake! Stay tuned to find out!**


	22. Chapter 22: Electricity

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Emile's search for a wild Roselia finally paid off, but was interrupted by the re-appearance of his arch-nemesis, the RP infected Zigzagoon El Mapache Loco. As he whisked Roselia away from the potentially dangerous situation, Will fought against the Mauville City Gym Leader, Wattson. Skipper made quick work of his first Pokemon, Magnemite, but 'slipped up' when facing Voltorb. CJ took down Voltorb with relative ease, yet proved no match for Wattson's final Pokemon, Manectric. A last ditch evolution from Ralts into Kirlia turned the tides, and the icing on the cake came in the form of a Psychic-Electric fusion attack from CJ, winning Will the Dynamo Badge. What will happen next? And where-is-Emile!? All that and more...**

**...now**

I cheered happily as I entered the Pokémon Center, openly exhibiting my new Dynamo Badge for all to see. A few Trainers looked up and waved, giving the occasional, "Good job!" or, "Nice going!" That just goes to show you: the Trainer community can be very tight knit and friendly. Which is why I loved my job.

I walked over to the service counter, and grabbed a silver tray with six round indents in it. I placed Skipper and CJ's Pokéballs on them, and waited in line for a few minutes while other Trainers checked their Pokémon in for treatment.

"Grey," I said to the nurse's Chansey as I slid the tray over the counter to it.

"Chansey cha!" it exclaimed happily, taking my tray over to a doctor. I walked back over to our favorite spot in the waiting area. I plopped down next to Juno on the couch.

"Nice going there, bro," she said, swiping my hat from me and holding it over to her left. I reached over, but she blocked me with her free hand.

"Hey! Give that back!" I complained, admittedly like a small child.

"What, are you gonna tell mom?"

"Ugh! Just gimmie my hat! You're worse than Perrugia!"

She scrunched up her face in confusion. I lunged forward, thinking she had let her guard down, but her lightning-fast Ranger reflexes kicked in and shoved me back. You know, I'm not sure whether to be proud that my little sister is a kick-butt Ranger, or embarrassed that she's stronger than me…

"You know, Peruggia? The guy who stole that really famous painting? I named my Sneasel after him."

"Well, that was actually pretty clever," admitted Wes, popping open a soda.

"What exactly inspired you to give nicknames to all of your Pokémon?" asked Burgundy. "Because for about a year now, most of 'em except for Shellshocker and Zip just go by their Pokémon names."

"Not nicknames: names. They're as much a part of my team as any of you guys."

Wes shrugged. "Once again, an excellent point."

While I was looking at Wes, Juno slapped my hat back onto my head, covering up my eyes. I heard her and Burgundy laughing as I struggled to pull it up. Wes almost did a spit take with his soda.

"You did great in your battle, today," said Juno, still laughing, trying to change the subject.

"Would you say that I did _pun_-believable?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and scooching closer to her.

"Make another pun and I'll _pun_-ch you right in the face!" she said, shoving me back.

While I was in the process of thinking of another pun pun, I heard the clack of heels headed in my direction. I turned to see the Nurse Joy of Mauville approaching. She nodded her head and spoke.

"Are you William Grey?" she asked in a light, friendly tone.

"Yes, ma'am. How can I help you?"

She turned slightly, implying she wanted me to follow her back to the counter. "There's been a slight…complication with one of your Pokémon. Would you mind following me?"

I got up quickly, my stomach churning as it did when I was worried about something. What could've happened with Skipper or CJ?

…

She led us through the door marked "Hospital Area" next to the counter. We walked down a long, white-tiled hallway, with a door to a room with a subsequent viewport window periodically. Some were open, revealing what was inside. A Rhydon having large bandages applied to it, a Swellow with an injured wing, and even some human patients.

I gulped when I began to see the rooms with covered windows, and the words "Operation in Progress" over the doors. Trainers sat and stood leaned up against the walls outside of these rooms, some with bloodshot eyes; their heads drooped with mixtures of worry, stress, and fatigue showing on their face. Some were weeping, and being consoled by doctors and other Trainers.

I prayed that I would not be going into one of these rooms.

I let out a sigh of relief when Nurse Joy stopped at a room, the door tag at the top simply reading "Patient Room Occupied." I leaned to the left to get a peek through the open window. I could see CJ siting at the edge of the patient counter-bed thing, her hands folded on her lap, kicking her legs back and forth.

"Kirl!" she exclaimed, looking up when she saw me entered the room.

"Hey, Ceej!" I said happily, taking a knee in front of her, which brought me to about eye-level. "You did awesome today!"

"Kirl-la!"

"What's the problem?" Burgundy asked Nurse Joy. "She looks fine to me."

"Why not give her a little touch?" suggested the nurse.

Having been warranted to do so, Burgundy slowly stuck out her index finger and touched CJ on the head. She yelped as she received a static shock, and jumped back, sucking on her finger.

"What?" she said, her finger still in her mouth. "What's everyone lookin' at?" The static charge had her hair sent up in a messy afro.

"Do you know what kinetic energy is?" Nurse Joy asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. Isn't it the energy created from one force rubbing up against another?"

"In a nutshell, yes," said Nurse Joy, moving to the other side of the small room where she could face me. "At first, I was a bit puzzled. The machine we use to heal Pokémon with just a few bumps and bruises while still in their Pokéballs detected an unusual amount of static energy in your Kirlia. It's not rare to see that in an Electric-Type who just had a battle where the performed very well, or in a Pokémon who recently battled an Electric-Type. _Especially_ in this town.

"But when we took Kirlia out to remove the charge manually, she surprised up a bit. The charge was _self-replenishing! _A normal static charge is produced with kinetic energy, like dragging your feet on the carpet wearing wool socks, or rubbing a balloon on your hair-"

When Nurse Joy said hair, Burgundy subconsciously reached up to touch her own, shrieking when she felt the monstrosity her hair had become. "W-why didn't you guys tell me!?"

"We kinda did," said Wes with a chuckle. Nurse Joy cleared her throat, and we all turned our attention back to her.

"Anyway, I reviewed the battle footage from your fight with Wattson earlier today, and came up with an interesting answer to this question," she said, holding her clipboard in a fashion that implied she was reading it. "During your battle, you had Kirlia create a kinetic barrier using Confusion, correct?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I…I guess that's what I did. Honestly, I was just kinda spit-ballin' on that one."

"Well, you succeeded."

"Sweet! Does that mean I get a new move named after me!?"

"No."

"Awwww…"

Nurse Joy continued. "Well, you then had Kirlia use this energy to summon the static spires in the Gym, supercharging her, and then had her unleash all of this stored up energy. Unleashing so much energy, electric and kinetic, actually tampered with Kirlia's _own charge on an atomic level!_"

"What do you mean?" asked Juno, leaning up against the wall.

"I mean that Kirlia has a _permanent _static charge!"

CJ gasped and covered her mouth. At first, it kind of sounded cool, but I guess not to CJ, the one who actually was stuck with this.

"W-what are the negative effects of this?" I asked, resisting the urge to point out the pun in the face of a troubling situation.

"Well, we can only speculate, as we've never seen this before, but Kirlia will shock anything that touches it now, meaning we'll have to figure out a new way to hydrate it. Plus, it may never…you know…"

CJ put her face in her hands and began to weep. I clenched my fist. I felt like this was _my_ fault, and that _I_ had failed her as a Trainer. And I would make this right.

"Is there _any _way we can fix this?" I asked.

"Not that our doctors can think of, no," said Nurse Joy in a sad tone of voice. "But you have to stay positive." Fate, why must you tempt me so!?

"No!" I yelled aloud, all of what I was about to say intended to be in my thoughts. "I don't care what a bunch of PhD wielding jerks say! CJ is my partner, and as her Trainer I am supposed to be her greatest advocate! I _will not _let her down! Even if I have to go and get my own science degree and figure this out, then darn it, I will!"

CJ seemed to perk up a bit, hope shining in her eyes. She saw hope; a sign that she had complete faith in me. A sign that as a Trainer, I was actually doing my job right.

"Are you Cassius Grey's son?" asked Nurse Joy. I nodded. "I thought so. He used to stay in this town a lot. I remember that look of determination in him; the will to solve any problem."

"Yeah, well…wait; my father hasn't been in this city for about fifteen years. You're, like, twenty-two!"

She giggled and winked. "We Nurse Joys are a lot older than we look."

I decided to ask no further questions, but instead focus on the answers I sought. It came to me instantly…like a light bulb.

…...

"So, do you really think Wattson can help us?" asked Burgundy as we exited the Pokémon Center, and took a right as we headed down the sidewalk to the Gym.

"Of course he can," I said, filling my voice with assurance. _The will to get things done is the will to try, _my grandmother always said. And I had the will. Heck, I am Will!

Every now and again, a passerby would brush up against CJ, who was walking alongside us. They would yelp and grab their leg as the received a tiny little shock. This seemed to demoralize my Kirlia. She drooped her head and began to walk slower. I sensed this in her.

"Kirlia, kirl…" I'm never gonna get fixed. I'm gonna be a freak forever…

"Hey, hey." I knelt down and lifted her chin up with my finger so that we were eye-to-eye, not flinching when I felt the static coursing through my hand. "We'll get you all fixed up, good as new! I promise."

I stood back up, and turned around with a hastier speed as I heard a shriek behind me. I saw a Ranger charging towards us, something in his arms. A Lombre was following him.

"Emile?" I asked to myself before her barreled into me. A small green Pokémon tumbled onto my chest, and spores were shaken out of her hands. They tickled my nose and I sneezed, covering the Pokémon in saliva. It stood on my chest and pointed its hand-a red rose- at me and scolded me.

"Rose roa rosa!" Disgusting! You should apologize!

"Emile, what's going on?" asked Juno, her hands on her hips.

"Uh, Roselia; Will, Juno, Wes and Burgundy," he introduced us to the Pokémon as he scrambled to his feet and scooped it back up. "Will, Juno, Wes and Burgundy; Roselia."

"You being chased or something?" asked Burgundy with a chuckle.

"Yes! Look!"

People shrieked and jumped to the sides of the sidewalk as a small brown figure darted forward, parting the human traffic. It stopped a few feet in front of his and snarled.

I gasped, recognizing El Mapache Loco. "You…" I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Kshhh," it growled, narrowing its own. Everyone moved back, leaving El Mapache Loco and eye in a cowboy-style showdown. CJ grabbed my pant leg and hid behind me.

I bent my knees and spread my legs. I held my arms out to the side, and brought my fingers together and apart in a fan-like motion, like I was about to grab my six-shooter at any second. And then we began to pace around each other in that small semi-circle, the crowd watching in complete silence I we faced off.

And to add it all up, the clock in town square started to bong. I counted twelve: high noon. We both looked each other dead in the eye, waiting for one to make the first move.

I did.

I whipped a Pokéball off of my belt and held it close to my side as I tapped the button, simulating "shooting from the hip." Out came Grunt, putting his girth in between El Mapache Loco and I. But the Zigzagoon wouldn't have that.

Teeth bared, it leapt at me over Grunt. I thought I was done for…

When all of a sudden, a flash of green erupted in front of me, quickly fading to reveal CJ. She slapped El Mapache Loco in the face, a loud cracking noise following as it hit the ground.

Sparks surged through its fur, which puffed up like a Meowth being dried off after a bath.

"Kshhhh," it hissed. Until next time… It quickly bounded away.

Everyone cheered and crowded around us. I ran over to CJ and grabbed her around the waist, tossing her up and down in the air. Ignoring the pain.

Because if that's what she was doing right now, why shouldn't I?

…

Genesis stopped to catch her breath. They had just finished climbing a large mountain, which didn't have an abundance of rocks jutting out, or just plain footholds. In fact, the hours it had taken to get to the top were much less climbing, and a whole lot of just circling around and trying to find another place to climb.

Neo climbed up behind her, panting as well. "You know, we can stop and take a break, if you want."

She shook her head, her tea-green locks waving back and forth. "No. We can rest when it's time to sleep." She hiked up her pack. "Let's move."

"You always were eager to just keep going," said Neo with a grin. "Lead the way, Soldier Girl."

"I told you to stop calling me that," she said, turning her head back and letting a grin slip.

Neo grunted and grabbed his forehead. "When?"

She turned around fully with a look of concern on her face. "What?"

"When, though!?" He sat down, clutching his head. "It's like…I remember these things…but I don't. I mean, I'm _told _I don't. Most of the time, my mind is just focusing on now, you know? Like, what am I doing now? How am I gonna do it? Stuff like that. But, it's like there's a voice whispering these things to me…things I did, but another voice is just yelling for it to shut up. But once in a while, something gets through."

"Like what?" What Neo said held true; she had experienced this as well. She had emerged from the Sarcophagus with a clean slate for a mind, but, surely yet slowly, things started creeping into her head. Memories. Memories that she was convinced weren't hers.

That's the thing, though. What was convincing her that these weren't her memories?

"Well…" Neo paused to think of an example. "Aha! Two years ago! What kind of cake did I get you?"

"A pink one that said 'Happy Birthday, Princess' on it." She smiled as it came back-or came to her, at all. "I kicked you in the shin. Shattered it, too. Got me clean up duty for the rest of the year."

"Now that feeling you have…the feeling that you've seen this before, but you haven't. Almost like-"

"A dream." She whispered. Neo nodded. "Like we saw it in a dream, so we can't prove it exists."

They were both silent for a moment. "M-maybe we _should _take a break. You know, to clear our minds?"

The sat down. But no mind-clearing occurred at all. If anything, they wanted to clutter it a little more.

**Looks like our favorite tank-bred mystery man and woman are having a bit of an identity crisis!**

**Question of the day: If you as a human could learn and use any Pokemon move, which one would you chose and what would you do with it? Would you become the champion of mankind? Or set out on a viscous campaign to subjugate all nations! Me personally, I would learn Fly. It's always been a dream of mine to be able to fly, and, honestly, I'd use it for good. What can I say, I'm a people pleaser! (Though, for the sake of honesty, I would probably fly past the occasional airplane to freak people out!) Cliffhanger time!**

**Neo and Genesis are struggling to figure out who they truly are. Will their own investigations turn anything up? What exactly is the mission the are supposed to carry out? What of Venom, who is apparently in hot pursuit? And will Wattson be able to help CJ? Will the terrible puns cease once they leave Mauville? All that and more on the horizon! Stay tuned!**

**CJ: Kirlia kirl kirlia kirl!- Answer the question and review the chapter, follow and favorite, and maybe I'll feel better!**


	23. Chapter 23: Rolling Hills

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Returning triumphant from his bout with Wattson, will and Co. are "shocked" to realize that CJ, Will's Kirlia, suffered from strange side-effects after using an immense wave of Psychic and Electric energy to win the fight. The blast altered her at an atomic level, giving her a permenant static charge, and pretty much signing her up for a life of intensive care and surgery. Will, determined not to let his partner down, set off to find Wattson in hopes of a cure, only to be interrupted by an old foe, El Mapache Loco. A Western-Style standoff followed, but in the end, CJ's static condition saved the day. Meanwhile, on their mission, Neo and Genesis sat down to try and piece together their past. What will they turn up? Will Wattson be able to help CJ? All that and more on the horizon!**

Wattson stroked his short beard. CJ was seated on a stool in front of him, her hands folder, kicking her legs out as she had been in the Pokémon Center. Though, this time, she was a bit more sullen. She knew that her fate would be determined here.

"Well, missy, no mistakin' it. That charge is here to stay." Her eyes began to water, and I walked forward to support her once more. But Wattson held up a hand to stop me.

"I think I have an idea, though." CJ gasped and looked up, the tears accenting her sparkling eyes. Wattson dug through his coat pocket and pulled out a few paper clips. They quivered, and flew onto CJ's head, sticking there.

"Is that our idea?" asked Burgundy, tapping her crossed arms.

"Ehehe…no," he said, rubbing the back of his head. I rummaged through the other pocket. "Aha!" he exclaimed, pulling out a gleaming disk. "Got some hardware for ya'!"

"Great!" I took it eagerly, turning it in my hands to examine it, before realizing I had absolutely no idea what it was or how to use it. "Uh…what does it do?"

"I meant to give that to ya earlier," explained Wattson, putting his hands back into his pockets. "After our battle, my mind was a little…kshshshsh…fried!" He started to laugh, but upon seeing the concerned looks on all of our faces, he stopped. "Aherm. Sorry. Anyway, that there TM contains the move Shock Wave. It's an Electric-Type move. I think CJ here has the stuff to use it."

"Thanks, Wattson, but I don't really care about-"

He held up a hand. "You Greys are always so impatient! I swear, your father never let me finish!" He let out a howl of laughter. "Always wanted to just get the job done and get it done right! Now c'mon!"

…

Wattson lead us out back behind the Gym, to a space that he and his Gym Trainers used for their own personal training. Those spires from inside were hooked up to several portable generators around the battlefield, I guessed to help practice strategies for the Gym. Wattson made sure they were all shut down.

He sent out Manectric, who he then directed to pick up several throwing disks scattered around the field, while he, Magnemite and Magneton went to set up a target at the other end.

Thinking he could help, I let Zip out of his Pokéball.

"Oh, Maker!" he exclaimed, flying his happy little circles around me. "I would just like to congratulate you on a flawless victory today!"

"Uh, yeah," I said, scratching my head. "Thanks."

Zip wobbled in the air. He turned to face CJ. "I detect a static unbalance in the atomic charge of Organic Kirlia nickname CJ. This is interfering with my gravity compensators."

"Yeah," said Juno. "We kinda established that while you were gone."

"Well," said Zip, drifting off towards Wattson. "Sarcasm never helps."

Juno, her jaw now agape, tracked Zip with her head as he left. It flung back to gaze upon me. I jumped back.

"Did your Magnemite just _back sass _me!?" she said in disbelief.

"He certainly is full of surprises," I said with a chuckle.

"Alright." Wattson returned to us, wiping the dust off of his hands. "Today, we're gonna learn Shock Wave." He bent his knees and looked at CJ. "Watch carefully, sweetheart." He got back up and turned around. "Manectric, Shock Wave!"

"Manec tric!" Manectric arched his back, and sparkled with blue electricity. He held it there for a moment, and then three tendril-like strands of electricity shot out of his back, all converging on the bull's-eye of the target, leaving a smoldering mark.

We all clapped. "Wattson, that was awesome!" said Wes.

Wattson nodded. "Shock Wave is a move that pools the user's Electric energy, and shoots it with deadeye accuracy at the target. It literally never misses!

"Ideally, not only will Ceej here be able to learn the move and use it effectively, but she will be able to utilize the technique of pooling her energy and letting it out to actually vent the static."

CJ perked up. "Kirlia, kirl kirlia!"

I looked down at the eager little Psychic-Type. "You sure you wanna try? Wanna just watch for a little wh-"

"Kirl!" she interrupted, and shoved her way to the front of our little crowd. She got to where Manectric was standing, and tapped it on the leg. It grunted, as if amused by CJ's enthusiasm, and made way.

CJ spread her legs and took a deep breath. She spread her shoulders apart, and began to concentrate. She strained and shook, but eventually, I saw a few sparks on her arms.

"Good," said Wattson softly, careful to not to disturb her. "Now, focus a little more. Spread it throughout your body, even out the-"

"Kiiirl!" she shrieked and held her arms out, trying to shoot the electricity she had stored at the target. There was a crack and a flash, and CJ fell backwards.

"CJ!" I cried and ran forward. I cradled her in my arms, which were tickled by the static. Wattson ran up behind me.

"Too much buildup," explained the Gym Leader. "Maybe we should take a break and-"

"Kirl…" CJ stood back up and wobbled back to where she stood.

"You sure about this?" I asked, afraid of letting her do any more damage to her frail little body. She turned her head over her shoulder, nodded, and then turned back.

"This time," said Wattson, coaching her through. "Don't try and force it all out. _Welcome _it all throughout your body, and _then_ show it the door!"

CJ did as instructed. She once again spread her legs, but this time, instead of hurting herself trying to concentrate, she began to take deep even breaths. The air was silent, save for the occasional honk of a distant car horn, or for our breathing, for the matter.

And then, I saw a small spark on her back. It lasted about a split second…but came back. It flared up and down, spreading its tendrils of power of her back. And then on her arm. And her head. Her other arm.

Soon, she was covered in a thin veil of electric tendrils, not seeming fazed at all.

"Good," said Wattson. "You're getting the hang of it, sweetheart. Just pool it a little more, don't be _too _cautious!"

One more deep breath was taken. And all of the sparks faded. I held my breath: I thought she had lost it. But in a split second, there was a loud _CRACK! _And all of a sudden, blue electricity flared up, covering her whole body.

"Kiiiirl-" she brought her arms back. "-Lia!" She pushed her palms forward. A long tendril of blue electricity shot out, striking the target dead on.

Everyone cheered. "You did it!" I exclaimed as I ran forward and picked her up, twirling her in the air. She laughed and smiled. And only when I put her down did I realize-

"You didn't shock me!" She stared at her hands in disbelief, and then cheered once more.

"Is she cured?" Burgundy asked Wattson as they ran up to us.

"No. The charge will be back. But once she fully masters this move, venting excess electricity will be like breathing: she won't even have to think about it."

Wattson picked up a few disks. "Now, you wanna practice some more, or-"

"Actually, I think we're gonna skip town now," I said, looking back at my friends. "If that's alright with you guys…"

"Yeah, I'm ready to move on," said Juno.

"Sounds good, yeah," said Wes and Burg.

"We're-oh! I almost forgot!" Emile picked Roselia off of his shoulder rand gently placed her on the ground. "Roselia, _mi amor_, can I have those petals?"

"Rosa!" Roselia eagerly held out her arms. Emile removed from his travel pack a glass jar and a pair of tweezers. "Now, this might pinch a bit. On three-" He placed the tweezers on a single red petal. "On three. _Uno…dos…tres!" _With a flick of his wrist, he picked the petal swiftly off of Roselia's hand. She let out a short yelp, but that was all. No blood, no tears.

"Alright, one more, and we'll be done. I promise."

"You, know, Emile," said Juno with a giggle. "You'd make a good pediatrician!" We all laughed.

"That was a good one," said Wattson, wiping a tear from his eye. "No DNA test required, folks: Will and Juno are definitely related!"

…

We all waved to Wattson and Roselia as we made our way down the hill leading out of town to Route 111. We'd spend about a day or two walking through there, then we'd take a cable car up the mountain, and then a short walk down to Lavaridge Town for my fourth Gym battle. And if he was around, my battle with Cage.

"By Wattson!" I called. "Thanks for everything!"

"No problem!" he hollered back. "I'll make sure to come up with some good ones for our rematch!"

What is it with Hoenn Gym Leaders and re-matches…?

"Tough kid," said Wattson down to Roselia, who looked up from her waving. "He had so much dropped on him these past few days…" he put his hands in his pockets as his smile faded.

"You know, I know a lot of Trainers who would've been just crushed. If they found out that their entire life they had been lied to…even _I _probably would've been down on my luck. But him-"

Wattson watched as we further disappeared. "-he picked himself back up. For his own sake, which is very admirable, but for his sister, and his Pokémon, too. He didn't let himself get in the way of their recovery.

"We need more people like him in this world. Too much hatred. Too much lying, cheating, killing in this world." He looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning its climb down from its highest position. "I hate to admit it, but there are fewer Trainers now than there were before."

"Rosa?" Roselia looked up at Wattson in confusion.

"I guess with all of these criminal syndicates rising up and causin' a big ruckus has got 'em scared. Too afraid to let their kid go and live their life." Wattson stopped and let out a short, dry, chuckle. "I remember the days where the streets would be filled with 10-year-old kids, helpin' each other along, battling, and sharing their journeys. When I'd beat someone, usually I'd have to give my 'You Win Some, You Lose Some," speech; most of 'em would get all upset.

"I mean, don't get me wrong; I love it when a Trainer is grown up or mature enough to accept defeat and learn from it, but…meh. It's probably just me being all nostalgic." He let out a real laugh this time.

"Well, looks like Wattson's getting' old! Startin' to talk about 'the good old days!' Ha-ha!

"Go on, Will. Do your thing. Make the world a better place. So I can see those kids again.

"But don't come back to my town too soon!" He added, this time with a booming laugh. "Weird stuff always happens when you're around!" He laughed some more, holding his belly as he turned around and began to walk back.

"Well, I'm goin' home," he said to Roselia. "You gonna head home too, sweetheart?"

"Ro rosa…" No, not just yet… Wattson shrugged and walked back to his Gym, while Roselia stood and stared out at the rolling hills.

The jolly human was right, she thought. Weird things _do _happen wherever that human seemed to go…and her life in the forest was getting dull.

…

It was a glorious day. It was a little hotter than any we had yet experienced in Hoenn, but it was still nice. The birds chirped happily in the trees as we walked down the cobblestone path, through the beautiful rolling green hills. I half expected to see Sonic the Hedgehog running up and down them (though I hoped not, because that would mean I'd be seeing ghosts!)

Get it? Because his franchise is dead.

Anyway, I smelled the aroma of many kinds of flowers, being stirred up by the gentle breeze and sent right to me.

"Ahhh," I sighed as I took a deep breath. "Guys, wouldja just smell those flowers?"

We all stopped to take a deep breath in through our noses. He all snap-turned to Juno as she let out a loud and sudden sneeze.

"Sorry," she said with a sniffle, "You'd have less trouble compiling a list of flowers that I'm _not _allergic to than ones I am."

I silently breathed out, glad I didn't get her anything from that flower shop outside of Rustboro City.

After a little while longer of walking, the path ended, leading us to wander the hills by ourselves. Burgundy ran up to the top of the tall hill before us and looked out. "Look!" she said, pointing. "There's a dirt path not too far ahead! That'll lead us the rest of the way!"

We all joined her at the top of the hill. The view truly was gorgeous. Clusters of trees dotted the landscape ahead, the occasional rock formation popping up. Squinting, I could see a large rocky pass far to the north.

"You know," said Wes, looking down, "These hills remind me of when I was a kid. I'd roll down the hills on Route 1 and get so dizzy…"

"Pft," said Juno. "How childish…"She grinned and glanced at Emile and I and the left, and Burgundy and Wes on the right. "Rangers first!" She shoved us back and rolled down the hill on her side.

"Alright then!" cried Emile, jumping to his feet and following her. "Top Ranger's orders!"

"Maker, I highly advise against this," said Zip, floating in front of me. "You could hit your head on a rock and damage yourself. Not to mention the grass stains that will be inaccessibly irritating to remove…"

"Lighten up!" I said, pushing him out of the way. "Why don't you try it?" I leapt down the grassy slope.

"If…those are your orders, Maker."

…

We were all laughing with childish glee once all of us had rolled down the hill. Some of us attempted to get up, but were foiled by gravity and forced back down, just to remain laughing until the dizziness faded.

Zip rolled down next to me like a ball. "Maker, if this activity gives you pleasure, than I respect that, but all it did for me was de-calibrate my sensors."

"Lighten up, Zip!" I said, tapping him on his metal carapace, making a _TINK_.

Once the laughter died down, Juno let out a log sigh and hugged her knees. Burgundy scooched over to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, wrapping her arm around Juno.

"I have to go…" puffed Juno. "I'm supposed to catch a bus out of here from Mauville in an hour…"

We were all sad, but we didn't protest; a Ranger had her duties. She got up and brushed herself up. "Bye guys," she said, forcing a grin. It was obviously painful for her to leave; a bombshell had been dropped, and she needed close friends (and family in my case) to help her until she recovered from the shell shock.

She stuffed her hands in her pockets and started to walk away. I watched her go for a minute before Burgundy shot me a look. "What are you waiting for?" she snapped. "Go hug your sister!"

I shot to my feet and tackled her from behind. She managed to keep her balance and knocked me off. She righted herself in a fit of laughter.

"Well, see you around, sis," I said, opening my arms for a hug.

"Try not to offend any large creatures while I'm gone," she said, embracing me. "I won't be around to save you this time."

We held it there for a moment. And then let go. A few more goodbyes were said, and then Juno left. We watched until she disappeared over the hill. I let out a sigh. I had just found my long lost sister.

I already couldn't wait until I could see her again.

…

The beautiful scenery of Route 111 was torn apart by an ugly, gurgling roar. We all stopped and looked around frantically.

"What was that?" said Wes, taking out a Pokéball. "Guys get ready for whatever made that sound…"

"Yeah…" moaned Burgundy. "Like, as in, set up the picnic blanket. That was my stomach!"

I checked the time. 3:30. We had been so busy training with Wattson that we had skipped lunch. And out poor stomachs were paying the price…

"Well, it's almost dinner time," said Emile. "Wanna just rough it for another half an hour?"

"Are you insane?" snapped Burgundy, shaking her fist. "Neglecting to feed your body like that why, you should be arrested for torture! It's a death sentence to neglect nourishment in the cold, unforgiving heart of nature!"

Wes looked back behind us. "Burgundy, I can still kinda see the path from here," he said, pointing. "It would take us like, twenty minutes to get back to Mauville if we ran."

"Tch-we wouldn't even have the energy!"

"Well I-"

"Guys!" I yelled, holding a hand out to stop the both of them. "Why are we arguing? Let's just eat!"

I found that one of the only ways to get us all to happily work together with absolutely zero percent disputes was when food was involved. Not even in the near death situations, but food. Wes and I laid down the blanket, Burgundy prepared our food, and Emile set some Pokémon food out for all of our partners.

Wes, Burgundy and I sent all of our Pokémon out to eat. I now knew everyone's full roster. Burgundy, aside from her recently captured Plusle and Skitty, had brought Aipom and Togepi. Aipom nearly caused a fight when he pointed in another direction, causing Treeko to look the other way, and then snatched a few pieces of food. And Togepi was now old enough to eat his own food (albeit a little at a time) and Burgundy no longer had to feed him.

Aside from the aforementioned Treeko, we had Aron, Slakoth, and Swinub, the Pokémon he had captured before I went off in pursuit of Peruggia when he stole Kelci's socks.

For a while, we sat and talked happily with each other, an occasional pleasant breeze blowing through the fields. After eating, our Pokémon had gone off to do their own things. Skipper and Treeko were practice-fighting, Grunt and Togepi were leaned up against each other, napping, Skitty was chasing her tail. They all seemed happy.

I stretched and got up, walking over to CJ. She looked up from the flower she was admiring as my shadow fell over her. She popped up, slowly floating to her feet with grace.

"Kirlia~!" she greeted me, school girlishly folding her arms behind her back and winking.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?"

"Kirlia kirl!"

"Good!" I motioned for her to follow me. "I was thinkin' we could get in some more Shock Wave practice. Feeling up for it?"

"Kirl-li!"

"Alright then!" The two of us walked away from out little picnic sight, over to a tree about ten yards away.

"This should be good," I said, using my fingers to get a good angle. "Okay, first let me check-" I reached down and tapped CJ on the shoulder. I received a small electric shock.

"Okay," I said, shaking my finger. "Definitely back. Now, aim for the tree…"

I stepped back a few feet. She took her stance, spreading her legs and shoulders. She lowered her head a bit and began to concentrate. The blue sparks flowed up almost instantly, and the covered her body in a matter of ten seconds. She held her hands out.

"Kiiiiiirlia!" she shouted, launching her stream of charged energy. It struck the trunk of the tree, sending out a bright flash and shaking the whole thing. A few leaves fell down, as well as…a girl.

She was short, and looked to be about nine years old. She had red hair that went down to her shoulders. She wore a yellow T-Shirt with a picture of a Marill on it, as well as a pair of red shorts and red sneakers.

"Ow!" she moaned, rubbing her rear as she stood. CJ and I ran over to her, and I could hear Wes, Burgundy, and Emile, as well as most of our Pokémon, running over in concern.

"Little girl, are you alright?" I asked, holding out a hand to help her up. She graciously took it.

"Yeah…"she squeaked. "I'm okay."

"What were you doing in that tree anyway?"

"Oh, well, I was trying to get that Pokémon up there!" She pointed into the branches, but I saw nothing. Burgundy ran up next to me, Plusle on her shoulder.

"Hey, is this little girl all-?"

"Plu?" Plusle's ears suddenly twitched. Up in the tree, a saw a small Pokémon now, moving through the branches. It stopped and gasped, an expression of pure joy overtaking its small face.

"Mai mai!" It waved frantically. It looked just like a blue Plusle, except instead of a plus on the tail, it had a minus.

"Plu!" Plusle shot off of Burgundy, and ran towards the tree. The other Pokémon did the same, running down the trunk of the tree to greet Plusle. While they did this, I took the opportunity to take out Dex.

_Minun_

_The Cheering Pokémon_

_It cheers on friends. If its friends are losing, its body lets off more and more sparks._

Plusle and Minun linked their stubby hands and did a happy little dance in a circle.

"I think they know each other," said Burgundy.

Wes tilted his head to the side, a smug grin on his face. "You think?" he asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrows.

"I think I know what happened," said Emile. "The two must've been traveling through that marsh together, and then got separated. Minun went to the place where Plusle was supposed to meet him, but Plusle stayed to wait for Minun.

"Awww!" Burgundy's eyes sparkled and she folded her hands. "_Quelle merveille! _What a love story! These two are obviously a match made in heaven!"

The girl looked at me confused. "Yeah, she does that sometimes," I clarified.

"Oh…okay. Well, any group of four Trainers out this far can only mean one thing: you came to take the Winstrate Challenge!"

I scratched my head. "The what?"

Her jaw dropped. "Wha-you're just pulling my chain!" She smiled and waved her hand. "I'll go tell my family that some challengers are coming! I hope you're ready to lose!" She ran giddily down the path. We exchanged a few confused glances with each other, and then went to go finish cleaning up from lunch.

**Who is this mysteriious tree-dwelling pre-teen? What challenge was she referring to? Will Team Grey accept said challenge, and if so, will the prevail. Stay tuned to find out!**

**Okay a few things. First, (this isn't the official audience question) for a while I've been wanting to give my piece on a few of the newer things in Pokemon. Namely, Gen 5 and the anime, which I've finally got around to. I was just wondering that over the course of the next two chapters, would you like to hear a, for lack of a better term, short rant on each of the subjects, one per chapter Afterward, giving my thoughts and opinions? Let me know: your opinions really do matter to me.**

**Okay, question time! What are your thoughts/theories on the two newest Pokemon revealed in Gen 6: Silveon and the unofficially named Mewthree? (Types, way of optaining/evolving, etc.) In my personal opinion, Silveon is a Normal-Type Eveelution(Normal being a Type no one really considered for Evee, as it already is one). I think an Evee will evolve into Silveon when trained with high friendship whil holding some sort of bow/ribbon held item, as Silveon is covered with them.**

**As for "Mewthree", I don't think that is a separate Pokemon; instead, just another form of Mewtwo achieved by giving it some sort of held item or visiting some sort of secret lab like you had to do to change Rotom's form in Platinum. I don't think it'll be called Mewthree, but something along the lines of "Mewtwo X." So, lemmie know what you think of both questions!**

**Mystery Girl: I challenge you to answer and review!**


	24. Chapter 24: Win Straight or Lose Hard P1

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Wattson came through for CJ, teaching her the move Shock Wave so that she could master the technique of venting excess static energy, and gave her hope of a normal life. Team Grey then left Mauville City, their next destination Lavaridge Town. After a little hillside fun, Juno revealed that she had to leave for a while. After a sad "Goodbye" Juno departs, leaving Team Grey at four (plus Zip). During lunch, Will and CJ decided to practice training with Shock Wave, adn discovered a few surprises in a tree. One being Minun, Plusle's long-lost companion, and the other being a little girl, talking about some sort of "Challenge." What challenge is this? Will Team Grey accept? All that and more comin atcha!**

It was cute at first, but after a while, I would've preferred nails grinding on a chalkboard.

Plusle and Minun were overjoyed to see each other again. And I was glad for them, honestly, I was. But the screaming and cheering and laughing and chasing and screaming and cheering…if those things weren't some of the cutest Pokémon I had ever seen in my life, I probably would've given Grunt the "OK" to eat them.

"So," said Wes, hands in his pockets, gazing up at the blue sky. A few clouds dotted the great pallet, casting an occasional pleasant shadow over us as it crossed the sun. "That girl…what do you think she meant by 'challenge?'

"I have no idea, Wes," I answered him. "But with our luck, it's probably gonna be a big deal sooner or later."

Wes looked from side to side, and I could tell it was conspiracy time. "Maybe," he said in whisper. "We're being tested right now…"

"Do explain," came Burgundy's reply, a little snooty, but ready to be amused.

"What if at some point after that girl fell from the tree, we were put in some sort of trance!" He threw his arms up into the air. "This could all be a dream!"

Emile looked over at me a bit confused. "Are these the kinds of conversations you guys always have?"

"Always," I said with a sigh. "Literally always."

Wes continued. "Every single choice we make here could be some sort of trial, determining our fate!" He stopped and pointed at me foot, shocking me into a stop. "See that dandelion you just stepped on?"

"No…" I said, lifting my foot and examining the bottom of my shoe. "Hence why I stepped on it…"

"Exactly! Some sort of overlord could be watching us _right now_, observing our every move!" He looked straight up at the sky and spun in a circle. "They probably just took note of your carelessness, Will!" He grinned and poked himself in the chest with his thumb.

"_I _on the other hand will probably get a note of being very observant in my 'Commendations' section!"

"There ought to be plenty of room there," said Burgundy wryly.

We all laughed and continued down the dirt path. Medium sized trees continued to line the path and the fielded areas around it; not dense, but not exactly a few. That rocky pass I noted earlier was getting closer and closer. In fact, I could now see the green grass fields turning to rock and dirt.

While still walking, Emile took out his map and observed it for a moment before speaking. "Well, once we get into that pass, after a while we'll have two options. Either go through the Fiery Path, or the desert."

"Is there any, um, Pleasant Flower Path With Plenty of Rest Areas?" interjected Burgundy. Emile shook his head, resulting in her slouching with a moan.

"Well, I think we should maybe call it a day and set up where it's nice," I suggested to my teammates. "I mean, we could keep going, but we'd be in the middle of that path once night fell-gwah!"

Speaking of falling, I tripped and fell right over something. Whatever it was, it had reached up to about my waist. I sat up and rubbed my head. I turned to notice that the thing I had tripped over was doing the same. It was that little girl from before.

"Yeesh, mister, you're not making a very good first impression!" said the little girl with a mischievous grin.

"Tch, you should be one to talk," I snapped, shaking my fist. No way I was gonna get had by some little girl. "You were the one hiding up in a tree and on this path!"

"To be fair, you weren't watching where you were going," Burgundy pointed out.

"Not helping!"

"Well," said Wes with a smile, crossing his arms in triumph, "Looks like the Overlord's gonna put another 'carelessness' mark in your file…"

"Looks like he's gonna put another 'shut up' mark in yours," I retorted. A synchronized "Ooooooh," came up from Burgundy, Emile, Plusle, Minun, Zip, and the little girl.

"An excellent comeback, Maker!" cheered Zip.

"Meh, it wasn't that great." I stood up and dusted myself off. I turned to face the little girl, a hopeful expression overtaking her face.

"Ehehe…hi…little girl. Can we help you?"

"It's Vivi!" she corrected. "And you can help yourselves! Are you ready for the challenge?"

"What chall-whoa!" Vivi grabbed my hand and began to lead me away. She wasn't that strong, but the initial tug had surprised me, and after that I just decided to go along for the ride. She led us to a large yellow house at the edge of a river running down the side of the route.

We stopped a few feet away from the house, and Vivi let go. She ran up the wooden stairs of the house's back porch ad rapped her knuckles on the door.

"Mommy! Daddy! Gramma!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "There are some challengers out here! You'd better hurry! They look strong!"

My team caught up with me as she continued to call for her family. "So, what's this all about?" asked Burgundy.

"I think it's some sort of battle challenge," I theorized. "She assumed we were here for it because there were four of us, and she's calling three of her relatives, so…"

Before I could go any further, the door swung open. Vivi backed up, and then leapt into the arms of the man who exited. He had messy black hair and a black goatee. Under his forest green vest he wore a lime green shirt, as well as tan slacks. Gave Vivi a peck on the nose and hoisted her onto his shoulders. He walked over to us.

"Are you challengers?" he asked in a deep but welcoming voice. "It's actually been a few days since we've got some. Welcome! My name is Victor!"

He offered his hand to each of us and we shook it. "Um…yes sir, I guess," I answered as politely as I could, though still a little confused. "We met your daughter out in the woods, and she led us back here." I rubbed the back of my head and decided to be honest. "To tell the truth, we have absolutely no idea what she was talking about."

Victor smiled, showing us that this was probably a common occurrence. "Aw, my little Vivi gets a little excited when she sees travelers, doesn't she?"

"I just wanna battle, Daddy!" she protested. "My Pokémon are stronger now! Soon, I'll even be able to fight Vito and win!"

Victor smiled. "Of course you are, sweetie." He spread his arms as if to gesture around to something grand, but them recalled them quickly, smiling as he sweatdropped. "Sorry! The field is around back! But, you've happened upon the Winstrate Family; The Fearsome Foursome! We battle and win as a family!"

With Vivi on his shoulders, the two began to strike weird superhero poses. It was our turn to sweatdrop.

"Oh, Victor stop getting carried away!" A woman was now approaching us. She had dark red hair, making sense of Vivi's. She wore a blue blouse, a tan skirt, and an apron. She had a wide, friendly face. "My husband and daughter sometimes get caught up in all of this. I'm Victoria; it's a pleasure to meet you all!"

We introduced ourselves, as we had forgotten to do so for Victor. "So," said Burgundy. "If you don't mind us asking, ma'am, can you please explain this all to us."

She smiled. "Of course, dear! We're the Winstrate Family! We challenge groups of four Trainers to four one-on-one battles." Burgundy tilted her head and blinked.

"Oh. Is that all?"

A grin I never would've expected to see on the face of someone as motherly as Victoria suddenly flashed. "Oh, one more thing. We never lose!"

"You tell 'em, Valarie!" The grin faded to a look of discontent as the voice sounded. An old woman wearing a pink skirt and blouse was approaching, limping on her cane. Her gray hair was up in a bun.

"Oh, and this is my mother-in-law, Vicky," said Victoria in a mopey tone. "We have the same name, but she never seems to remember that…"

"Don't' mumble!" commanded Vicky, rapping Victoria on the head with her cane. "These young 'ins won't be able to hear what yer sayin'!"

The old woman stopped inches away from me, resting on her cane, Her head tilted back and forth, apparently studying me. "Hmmm…bend your knees, dear, so I can get a good look atcha!"

I looked back at my friends, giving me mock expressions of supports. I rolled my eyes and bent down to eye-level with Vicky. She immediately grabbed my chin with an iron grip.

"Hmmm…" She looked me in the eyes, and then turned my head, apparently looking into my ears. She pulled my lip down and examined my teeth. "Ya need to floss better, sonny. I could tell ya whatcha ate for a snack three days ago!" She continued her examination, rounding it out by tapping me on the forehead twice with her cane. Hard.

"Well, that cinches it!" said Vicky, both of us straightening up. I rubbed my face. "That one's the strongest! I'll be facin' him!"

"Uh, Vicky," said Victoria. "We haven't even given them time to choose who faces who-"

"Quiet, Veronica!" snapped Vicky. She turned to Victor. "Son, I told you that you shoulda married that Suzanne girl! _She_ had respect for her elders!"

Victoria's shoulder's tensed, but then relaxed as she took a deep breath in and out. By the look on her face, I guessed she was telling herself, "She's gonna die someday, she's gonna die someday…"

Victor let out some nervous laughter, and wrapped and arm around his wife's shoulder. "Well…why delay any longer? Let's show you over to the field!"

…

Hidden from view by the angle we had been looking at the house from before, in between the Winstrate's house and the river was a well-kept League Regulation field. It had bleachers on either side. The entire rectangular field was rimmed by a border of mixed flowers.

"It's a bit of a hobby of mine," said Victoria with a smile as we walked towards the field. "Gardening. I love making the field look nicer!"

"Instead of playin' outside you could be spendin' a little more time on the food," grumbled Vicky. "The field is fine. _That _could use a little work, though…"

Before Victoria could strain to keep control again, I spoke. "They're very nice, Mrs. Winstrate," I said to her with a smile, helping to calm her down. "You know, my mother likes flowers, too. The two of you would get along very nicely."

Victoria beamed. "Well, how nice!"

We reached the field, and Victor lead us through a small gate. He, along with the rest of his family, went to stand on one side of the field, just behind the Pokéball shape on the white line halving the field. We stood on the other side.

"Well, here's how it works," said Victor. "We, the defenders, will cycle through one battle at a time, going from weakest to strongest…"

"Daddy-goes-fiiiirst-cuz-he's-the-woooorst~!" sang Vivi. Victoria snickered and tried to hide it when her husband looked over at her.

"Hey, I don't get to train as often as you three! I have a job!"

"Unlike your lazy wife…"grumbled Vicky.

Victor cleared his throat, trying frantically to avoid a fight between his wife and his mother. I had serious respect for the guy; he must have to do this very often. "Anyway, the order goes me, Victoria, Vivi, and my mom. You can decide amongst yourselves the order."

We stood in a small circle around each other. "Well, the old lady is right," I said, stretching my arm. "_I am _the very best, soooo…"

Burgundy struck me upside the head. "Emile, can you even battle?"

He nodded. "Sure I can. Right Lombre?"

"Bre!" His Pokémon pumped its fist in the air. "See. All good on this end."

"So who goes first?" asked Wes. He looked at Emile, both of them grinning as the started the song.

"Burgundy-goes-fiiirst, cuz-she's the-" Burgundy pinched Wes's lips together with her fingernails, and he let out a squeak.

"Fine. I'll battle first," she said through gritted teeth.

Burgundy walked to the center of the field to tell this to Victor, as the remainder of both teams walked to the sidelines. Victor and Burgundy shook hands, and took their spots in the chalk squares where Trainers were supposed to stand.

"As the challenger, and a lady, you may go first," said Victor.

Burgundy giggled. "Why thank you!" She took out a Pokéball and kissed it. "Alright Skitty, _temps à battre!_

"Nya!" The pink cat Pokémon took to the field, crouching as if ready to pounce, and then swishing its long tail back and forth.

"Taillow, you're up!" A small red, white, and black bird did a short round around the battlefield before landing on Victor's shoulder. He tickled its chin before turning back to Burgundy to start the battle. I whipped out Dex before they could.

_Taillow_

_The TinySwallow Pokémon _

_It has a gutsy spirit that makes it bravely take on tough foes. It flies in search of warm climates._

"Hm!" Burgundy put her hands on her hips and stood proudly as she stared down Taillow. "A Taillow, eh? Well, I guess that means it's-"

I shot forward in my seat. "No! Nononononono-!"

"Eeeeeevaluation Time!" I sat back and facepalmed.

"I sent out a Skitty, a Pokémon of prey! A fearsome predator in the wild!" she said, pacing back and forth and waving her finger to the side as if explaining a theory to a detective. "Therefore, by your choice in this Pokémon, I can deduct that I will win! The two of you are incompatible!"

On the other side of the field, Vivi tugged on Victoria's sleeve. "Mommy, she's weird…"

"Honey, it's not nice to say that about people," said Victoria softly. "How about instead, you say she's…quirky…"

"Bah! She has a big mouth!" said Vicky. "She reminds me of someone else I know…"

Victoria's face turned red.

"Alright, Skitty, start things off with an Assist!" Burgundy pointed her arm forth like a commander in the army.

"Assist?" I asked, turning to Wes. "What's 'Assist'?"

Wes shrugged, and Zip came to the rescue.

"Assist: The user hurriedly and randomly uses a move among those known by other Pokémon in the party."

"Hm," Wes scratched his chin. "That's actually pretty smart on her part. Since besides Skitty she only has Togepi, Plusle, and Minun, she'll most likely get an Electric-Type move."

"Maybe you should've gone first," I said with a grin.

He scowled and punched me in the arm. "Don't even start with the song!"

Back to the battle. Skitty waved her tail back and forth, and then it suddenly stood straight with a _TWANG_: she had received her random move. Yellow sparks enveloped Skitty's body. She dashed forward with her Spark attack.

Taillow took off from Victor's arm, in an effort to escape the physical contact. But it couldn't hide from Skitty. Using her tail for extra spring-power, she launched into the air, barreling into Taillow. Sparks flickered on the bird as it teetered back and forth in the air.

Skitty landed back on her feet. I guess that urban legend about Skitty always landing on their feet was true.

"Alright, Taillow!" yelled Victor. "Use Peck!"

"Looow!" Taillow's beak glowed, and it dive bombed Skitty.

"Skitty, use Pound!" Skitty hunkered down inn pounce position again, and when Taillow was in range, swung her long tail at the bird's small body, knocking it to the side. It fluttered to keep its balance.

"Taillow, Peck again!" The instant Taillow had straightened itself, it launched another dive bomb! Unfortunately, Skitty had turned its body around when it attacked, and had its back to Taillow.

"Skitty, look out!" called Burgundy frantically. But it was too late. By the time Skitty could even turn around, the Peck had already struck like a missile, sending Skitty a dozen feet away.

"Skitty, shake it off!" yelled Burgundy. "I believe in you!"

"Plusle plu!" Plusle and Minun stood on the sidelines, cheering for Burgundy with pom-poms of sparks.

I smiled to myself. Burgundy had come far from that almost immature girl I had met in Pewter City, banished from her home and not sure what to do. Which reminded me, she never showed us her new Connaisseuse license. I'd ask her later.

"Skitty, Assist again!" Skitty's tail swished back and forth, and then stood straight. I waited a few seconds for the attack…but instead it started to swish back and forth again! It had selected Togepi's Metronome!

Skitty took in a deep breath, and the shot a sonic wave at Taillow: Supersonic! The beam of sound struck Taillow, and it began to flutter around in circles in the air.

"Taillow, snap out of it!" called Victor, but Burgundy was just about ready to wrap things up.

"Skitty, finish this display!" she said, smoothly, spreading her arms wide. "Show them what true harmony between Trainer and Pokémon is! Pound!"

Using its tail as a springboard once more, it rocketed into the air, just above Taillow. It did a front flip, and then slammed its tail down on Taillow like a hammer. Taillow crashed into the ground.

"Woohoo!" Burgundy jumped up and down, cheering. "We did it!" Skitty leapt into her arms, and she turned to us, sticking her tongue out. "Ha! Maybe one of yours boys should've gone first!"

Wes got up from his seat and began to walk down to the battlefield. "Well, I guess it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is."

He slapped Burgundy a high-five as they walked past each other and traded places on the battlefield. Victor and Victoria gave each other a quick kiss, switched as well.

"Alright, Aron, show 'em up!" A small metal Pokémon took Wes's slot. It raised its head and let out a tiny little battle cry.

"Arrrah!"

"When did he catch that, Emile?" I asked.

"In that cave on Dewford. You know, the one where you almost died."

"Oh, that one."

Victoria smirked and took out a Pokéball. "Alright, my beautiful flower, I choose you! Defend our garden!"

"Rosa!" A familiar Pokémon hopped out in front of Victoria. A Roselia! Though this one was a bit of a darker shade of green than the one we had met.

"Alright, Aron," called Wes, ready for battle. "Let's go!"

**Alright, I got more "Okays" than "No's" so here's my Gen 5 rant. "Rant" because I cannot figure out a better word. And I know the word rant sometimes implies hate, but this isn't the case. The purpose of this is to just share my opinions, not to slash Gen 5. I love Gen 5, albeit maybe not as much as some others, but I absolutely love it. These were just my initial thoughts and reactions:**

**(I typed this a long time ago, and added most of the clarifications now).**

**Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not here to bash Gen 5. I'm not here to go all Genwunner on you and say "Everything Gen 1 was the best!" As a matter of fact, on fav my list, Gen 5 is probably ahead of 1.**

**When I heard that a new generation of Pokémon was coming out (Gen 4) I was ecstatic. I followed all of their releases of information, and couldn't wait until the day where I could sink my boots into the snow covered ground of the Sinnoh region.**

**A friend of mine told me one day that a new generation of Pokémon was being released. At first, I thought he was joking. But then he showed me pictures of Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawatt, and I said "Oh, neat." I was excited, but not as much. Maybe due to the fanboy fading from me…**

**Okay, if anything, the fanboy had increased exponentially.**

** I remember the day I bought the game(Diamond), as well as the strategy guide (not to use it, just for the sake of having it, as well as a reliable and updated Pokédex). My hands trembled as I flipped through the back pages, revealing which Pokémon I would encounter.**

**Gen 4 offered some fresh, new faces to see while wandering the tall grass, spelunking the caves, and surfing over the ocean, as well as giving us some new, well thought out evolutions for Pokémon we already knew and loved, like Gen 2 did. Which is why I think a lot of people dislike Gens 3 and 5 a little: things seemed not as fresh, plus nothing updated. Once again, JUST MY OPINION. And not even my current one: most of this stuff was written a long time ago. I write to get my feelings out. NOT A DIARY THOUGH!**

**Once again, I'm not a hater. I love everything Pokémon, but I love a few other generations more than 5. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, as well as favorites. Gen 4 was mine. Every time I flipped a page in that guide, I went "Wow!" once I saw a new face, or a new form that could be taken by a Pokémon I already had stashed away in my PC in Hoenn or Kanto. When I saw the new Pokémon of Gen 5, the word that came to my mind was "stale." I just didn't feel as wowed as Gen 4.**

**Gen 5 gave us so many new things; so many in fact that I can't even call any to mind right now. A possibility for me not being as wowed could be that they slapped us in the face with new, and didn't mix in enough old.**

**Now, I, just as many other people who were like me at the beginning, learned to fall in love with Unova and all of her Pokémon. Like Wattson did, I kinda realized that I was seeing things the old-fogie way now, and moved around it, allowing me to like these Pokémon even more, realizing completely how awesome they were (not that they weren't before).**

**And with Black and White 2, the microscopic amounts of gripes I had were washed away when I was presented with a sequel, which in my opinion, was executed flawlessly. It gave us the old Pokémon we loved, the new ones we grew to love, as well as a new take on the still technically new Unova region. Some brand new features such as the Key system, Dream Radar, etc., as well as a brand new story (I'm a writer. I love story).**

**So in closing for Gen 5, at the beginning I was like "Ho-hum. Cool." At this point now, I'm *Mouth agape, waterfall of drool pouring down at sight of anything Pokémon, eyes strobeing rainbow colors* (which is just how I like it with Pokémon!)**

**So, I feel like I can't stress this enough, I'm not a hipster Genwunner complaining about everything Pokémon that was released in this millennium, I'm just a Trainer who's seen how the franchise has advanced since its early stages, and am simply sharing my opinion. Get that? O-pin-i-on! I feel like some people need that extra reminder. I'm not claiming to be an expert (though one might say I'm pretty close to becoming a master) just sharing my…what's the word, kids?**

**Anyway, this got way longer than I thought. I'll share my anime opinions next time! Laterz!**

**Okay, Reader Question: What are your favorite/least favorite things about Gen 5? Next time, I'll do my piece on the Gen 5 anime. Hope you liked seeing my original perspective!**

**Vicky: Don't be lazy like that daughter-in-law of mine! Review!**


	25. Chapter 25: Win Straight or Lose Hard P2

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Co. met Vivi, a member of the Winstrates, a family who challenge groups of four Trainers to tournament style battles. They accepted, and Burgundy went first, managing to beat Victor, the father. Wes is up next, vs. Victoria, the mother. Will they pull through? That's coming up!**

"Aron, use Headbutt!" was Wes's first command. Aron's round head gleamed for a split second, and then it charge forward, digging its small metal heels into the dirt and propelling it forward. It was much faster than I anticipated.

Roselia barely had time to react, but it had time enough. Right when Aron was about to strike it, it twirled around, as if it had been taught a million times how to do so.

"Aron, come right back around!" Aron didn't even stop. It simply dug its front feet into the ground, twisted its back and charged forward again.

"Roselia, Petal Dance!" said Victoria dreamily, doing a little twirl herself. Roselia stuck its rose-covered hands out to the side, and started to spin. A small tornado of pink petals surrounded it. A few slapped Aron in the face as it approached, but it didn't even flinch. It charged right through, slamming into Roselia.

Roselia rocketed back, and did a few backflips before it finally managed to stop. It teetered back and forth for a moment, but then righted itself.

"Roselia, it's okay, darling!" cried Victoria, cupping her hands over her mouth. "We can still win this! Think of the flowers; we must defend our home field!"

"Wow," said Burgundy, leaning forward to the point where her arms rested on her knees. "Since Grass and Poison-Types attacks do little to no damage to Steel-Types like Aron, Wes has this in the bag!"

Hm. Burgundy was right in the sense. Wes did have a bit of an "untouchable" advantage going for him. But you don't go undefeated for who knows how long like these people unless you had some sort of plan for Type disadvantage…

"Roselia, Sweet Scent!" Roselia winked, and then started to spin. A fine pink mist coated the battlefield. I inhaled deeply. I didn't know flowers could smell like diesel and saltwater…wait a second, they don't! Sweet Scent was tickling the part of my brain that contained my sense of smell, evoking the sensation of my favorite smells!

The same was happening to Aron. He sniffed the air and sighed. Unrefined steel and wet limestone…his favorite. He began to drift into a dreamlike state…imagining himself back in the cave where he used to live…nibbling on a tasty copper vein…

"Aron!" cried Wes, who was smelling pleasant chemicals and other lab smells. "Snap out of it!"

Aron shook his head clear, but now Sweet Scent was entering its final stages. The aromas were too much: Aron's eyes began to water, blurring his vision.

"Roselia wanted to distract Aron momentarily…"said Emile, pondering. "But for what?" He turned to Burgundy, but she was a bit unresponsive.

"Mmmm," she said, swaying back and forth. "Cilan's cooking…"

Aron blinked a few more times and his eyes finally cleared, as did the pink clouds, which revealed Roselia standing completely still, glowing.

"She's charging up a Solarbeam!" I cried, standing up quickly. "Wes, do something!"

Even with it being not very effective, Solarbeam was one of the most powerful moves a Pokémon could know. Once Roselia finished turning all of that sunlight into refined energy, Aron might finally meet its match.

"Aron, Iron Defense!" ordered Wes. Aron spread its legs, and flashed silver as its armor increased in dexterity. And just as Roselia was ready.

"Okay, darling," cooed Victoria. "Time for Solarbeam!"

"Roooo-sa!" Roselia pointed a single rose at Aron, and a massive beam of energy shot out, striking Aron square in the face. Aron struggled to stay in place…and did. Roselia was dumbfounded when she saw Aron, completely unfazed, simply shake it off.

"Now's our chance!" cheered Wes, pumping his fist in the air. "Headbutt!"

With renewed confidence, Aron rushed forward at full speed. With its skin now diamond-hard from Iron Defense, it rammed into Roselia, sending her all the way to the back wall.

"Yes!" Emile, Burgundy, Plusle, Minun, and I all stood up and cheered for Wes. Aron ran over to him so the two could celebrate. Wes's expression of joy turned to horror as Aron leapt up like it had seen Skitty do to Burgundy.

"Wait, Aron! Nononononono-gwah!" Aron knocked him to the ground. "Aron…can't…breath…return…"

Emile stood up and cracked his neck. "Well," he said, looking down at Lombre. "You read, bro?"

"Lomb-re!" The green Pokémon nodded. Once again, the two people switching places high-fived as they passed each other, albeit Wes clutching his ribcage.

Lombre took its place before Emile as Vivi skipped out onto the battlefield.

"I'm not as weak as Mommy or Daddy, so don't go easy on me!" she squeaked.

Emile laughed. "You got it, _chica_!"

"I can't wait to tell all my friends at school that I beat a Ranger!" said Vivi excitedly, jumping up and down and taking out a Pokéball. "Go, Marill!"

"Marill mare!" The blue mouse Pokémon bounced into ready position. It puffed out its cheeks, ready to fight. Although they were both Water-Types in the core, Emile had the advantage, as Lombre had a Grass Sub-Type. Still, Vivi most likely had some trick up her sleeve...

"Alright, Lombre, Fury Swipes!" Lombre's crimson claws glowed and extended in length, and it dashed forward to meet its round foe.

"Marill, flatten him with Rollout!" Marill jumped up and rolled into a ball, giving itself the needed push to go with its tail. The two met in the center of the field, Marill grinding against Lombre's claws. In the end, Lombre was crushed under Marill, who continued rolling, spun around behind Lombre, and popped back onto its feet.

"Huh," huffed Wes, still recovering from Aron's hug. "My money was on Lombre winning out in that exchange…"

"Huge Power," Zip clarified. "Marill's ability. All of its attack's powers are effectively doubled."

"Emile had better pull out his Grass-Type advantage soon," said Burgundy, "because I doubt Lombre will be able to take many more Rollouts, especially since they increase in power every time…"

I doubt Emile heard us, but he had the sense to make this next move. "Lombre, Razor Leaf!" Lombre, now on its feet, reached up to the lily pad on its head, and whipped out two boomerang-shaped leaves, each sharp as a kitchen knew. Each struck Marill on the side, sending her stumbling back.

"Marill, no!" cried Vivi, who puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "Meanie! I challenge you to not use that Type advantage!" Maybe that's how she wins her battles; she cutes people into letting her win…

"Hey, I heard fightin' words from that little mouth of yours before!" said Emil with a grin. "You better be able to keep up with your threats! Lombre, keep the Razor Leaf going!"

Lombre hurled leaf after leaf after leaf at Marill, making her back up further and further and further.

"Agh!" Vivi grabbed at her hair in frustration.

"You can do it, honey!" cried Victoria. "Just keep a cool head!"

"And don't lose like your mother!" cried Vicky.

"Marill, Defense Curl!" Marill curled up in a ball, much like Rollout, but remained still. The Razor Leaves that hit it elicited a squeak of pain, but seemed to be doing less damage.

"Lombre, now's your chance!" cried Emile, pointing to Marill. "Let's get in a Fury Swipes!"

Lomre's claws flashed and grew, and it charged forward. Vivi grinned, her frustration fading. These people may seem nice on the outside, but they're devious!

"Marill, Rollout!" Marill shot forward, its already being in a ball giving it a boost. Burgundy gasped and sat forward.

"Why didn't I see that before!" she facepalmed. "Defense Curl gives Rollout a boost! Plus this is the second time it's being used, so-"

"It gets a boost…" I finished. I thought Lombre was toast. But not so. Emile had a plan.

"Lombre, Water Gun on the ground!" Lombre turned to face the floor, and unleashed a gusher of water, propelling itself into the air. Marill rolled under it, doing nothing more than kicking up a little dirt. Marill flipped out of her ball, and looked around in confusion.

"Marill!" cried Vivi in a vain attempt to warn her Pokémon. "He's behind-"

"Fury Swipes!" Emile gave no room for recovery. Lomre dashed at Marill, claws ready. It slashed at Marill's back time after time, until Marill finally stumbled forward, and fell face first into the ground. Lombre planted a triumphant foot atop Marill.

Emile tossed his hair and smiled that charismatic smile of his back at us. "I may be a Ranger, but I still got it!"

Vivi collected Marill from the field of battle and turned to leave, signaling it was my turn. My stomach churned a bit; I wasn't nervous to be fighting Vicky. My whole life, having to wait and then having it be my turn usually lead to something unpleasant; I always went after my sister when we had a doctor's appointment. When I got called for picture day (I hate getting my picture taken). Having to present projects in class. It was more of just a reaction to waiting now.

Vicky limped down to the field on her cane. "Boy, you embarrassed my son. I should tan your hide for that!" I gulped. Okay, _now _I was getting a bit scared.

"You embarrassed my granddaughter. I should knock you six ways to Sunday!"

Before I could speak, she interrupted one last time. "But most importantly, you embarrassed my daughter-in-law!"

Victoria perked up a bit. Had her mother-in-law finally found care for her? Had all these years of serving this terrible woman finally paid off?

"If you win, boy, you and your friends can stay for dinner!" Victoria slouched back into her seat.

"Alright!" I said, gripping Grunt's ball. "Time to-"

"Medicham, go!" I thought that I was supposed to go first, but…okay. I guess this gave me a chance to strategize a bit. Now let's see…

_Medicham_

_The Meditate Pokémon_

_It gains the ability to see the aura of its opponents by honing its mind through starvation._

Alright, I've been using Skipper a lot lately, so I'll give him a break. Grunt would be at a disadvantage, as he was a Fighting-Types and Medicham had a Psychic Sub-Type, as would Zip, except his disadvantage being the Fighting part. Which left CJ…

"Wouldja put that fancy gizmo away and put up your dukes!?" cried Vicky. "I ain't gettin' any younger!"

"Alright, alright!" CJ, show em what you're made of!"

"Kirlia!" she shrieked, preparing for battle.

"Hm," said Vicky, scratching her chin. "An eager one, eh?"

"Yup!" I said proudly.

"Eager to lose…"

"Uh…alright then…CJ, let's start things up with a Magical Leaf!"

"Kiiirlia!" CJ spun around with a pirouette, and two leaf-shaped shards of energy flew out from around her. But Medicham wouldn't have that. It leapt right up into the air, both bolts completely missing.

"Medicham, High Jump Kick!" shouted Vicky, slammed her cane into the ground. "Show this youngin' how Trainers used to do it back in our day!"

From its elevated position, Medicham pointed its right leg at CJ and rocketed down. I had to act quickly.

But I didn't do it quick enough.

"CJ, Tele-" I flinched as Medicham slammed into CJ, burying her deep in an artificial crater. Medicham hopped out, and stood on one leg in a ninja-esque position, preparing for her next orders.

CJ slowly climbed out of the hole, holding her right arm. She was hurt. Badly.

It's so fast! How am I supposed to content with that kind of power!?

"Maker!" shouted Zip from the sidelines. "I feel that it would be beneficiary to tell you that High Jump Kick damages the user if it does not make contact with its target!"

That made sense. That much force into the ground, without a cushion of some sort, would do massive damage to the user.

"Alright, CJ!" I said excitedly, a new plan taking form. "Let's play hard to get! Teleport all around the field!"

CJ stood as straight as a broomstick. Her arms shot down to her sides and her image flickered and vanished.

Medicham looked around frantically. That was a good sign; if it was enough to break Medicham's almost military focus, it was good.

"Medicham, ready a Hidden Power!" commanded Vicky. "We won't let these young'uns get the better of us with this tomfoolery!"

Mediii-cham!" Medicham clapped her hands together, and a circle of orange energy beads appeared around her, circling around her in a ring shape. And then CJ reappeared.

"Shoot, now!" Medicham punched in CJ's direction, and one of the energy beads shot at her. CJ waved, and then vanished again. The bead struck the side of the arena and caused a small explosion.

CJ appeared again, this time sticking out her tongue. Medicham launched another Hidden Power bead, with the same result. CJ appeared again and again, each time increasing the speed at which she did, taunting Medicham each time. And Medicham's patience began to wear short.

Her face scrunched up with anger as she began to launch beads in twos and threes, frantically trying to strike CJ as she appeared and disappeared in fractions of a second. In fact, she began to move so fast, it appeared that there were multiples of her on the field.

"Mediii!" cried Medicham. Cowardly little girl! Show yourself so I can beat you! She let out on final scream, and punched the air with all her might. Yet nothing happened; she was out of beads.

"Now, CJ, she's vulnerable! Magical Leaf!" I pumped my fist into the air, excitement coursing through my veins. We could do this!

CJ solidly reappeared, did her pirouette, and launched the bolts of energy. They both hit home, forcing Medicham to stumble back.

"Now, the second Medicham jumps I want you to Teleport, got that?" CJ nodded. "Now, Shock Wave!"

Her body instantly burst into blue sparks as she gathered the energy, pulled it into her arms, and launched it at Medicham. The bolts flew at Medicham. She jumped into the air, but the Shock Wave followed her. Meanwhile, CJ Teleported away.

Once Medicham reached her highest point, the bolts struck her right in the back, sending her down. She landed on her feet and stumbled, barely keeping her balance. She looked around; CJ had once again disappeared.

"Behind you, Medicham!" It was true, CJ had popped behind Medicham.

"Alright, Ceej, Magical Leaf!" It was time to finish this thing. CJ launched her Magical Leaf attack, striking Medicham both times before she could turn back around. She looked furious.

"Medicham!" Vicky was getting a little aggravated, too. I looked up into the stands. Victor had his fists clenched, watching the battle intensely, biting down on his lower lip. Vivi was pulling at her hair. Victoria was leaned back, examining her nails. While she might not care whether or not her mother-in-law lost, it was clear that it had just become apparent that the Winstrates were very close to losing for the first time in a long time.

"Medicham, High Jump Kick!" Medicham leapt into the air, and as per orders, CJ immediately vanished. My plan had been that once Medicham had locked on and jumped, she would have to land somewhere. And you can't adjust your course of falling when high up in the air.

It seemed like a good plan.

"Ha!" cackled Vicky. "I'll hand that one to ya, sonny. You thought you could avoid Medicham by moving, didn'tcha?"

I gulped. Something was in store.

CJ reappeared, far away from where I had originally thought would be the danger zone. Where Medicham was supposed to land.

Medicham was still floating high above the battlefield.

"Medicham can stay up there for however long she needs!" said Vicky proudly. Up in the stands, Vivi and Victor were calming down. They thought it was in the bag.

So did my team. As Dex had told me, Minun and Plusle were cheering with more intensity, a signal that they thought I was losing. Wes and Emile were on the edge of their seats. Burgundy had the rim of her vest clenched in between her teeth, and was pulling on it intensely.

"CJ, get out of there, now!" I yelled and waved my arm. CJ Teleported across the field. Medicham simply laughed and rotated to face her.

I was running out of ideas. "Keep Teleporting! Try and confuse her!" CJ Teleported again and again, but I could tell she was wearing down.

"Stop!" I commanded. She reappeared in front of me, bent over and panting. She was almost cashed out. Her Psychic energy reserves were almost cashed out…

I gasped as an idea rushed into my head. Psychic, maybe. But what about static….

"You know, William," said Vicky, going into her "It's the Beginning of the End For You," speech. "I've always been wondering…if I used confusion while doing a High Jump Kick, would the Psychic energy give Medicham more power?" She grinned, revealing many missing teeth. "Shall we find out?" She looked up at Medicham. "Medicham, let's have some fun!"

Medicham nodded, and her arms and legs shot out, eliciting a brief flash. She was now surrounded by a bubble of transparent energy, flickering and wavering like a flame.

"CJ, this is it!" I called at the wounded Pokémon. "Start gathering all of your static energy! Pool everything you've got for one last Shock Wave!"

A Sparks flared around her as she powered up, the flame-like bubble of energy flaring up and up.

"Medicham, go!" Medicham began its decent, falling twice the speed as before, and streaking like a comet with the Psychic energy. CJ stood motionless, her complete faith and trust in me.

"Not just yet," I said calmly, trying to judge the distance Medicham had left to cover. "Almost…almost…"

"What's the point, boy?" called Vicky. "You can't possibly stop Medicham now!"

"That's not the plan, Vicky!" I called over triumphantly. An expression of shock hit her face.

"T-then wha-"

I snapped from my moment of near-victory back to the battle. "CJ, NOW!"

CJ launched her massive beam of raw, refined electric power at Medicham. When it struck the missile-like Pokémon, there was a great flash that illuminated the battlefield, I covered my eyes, as did everyone else. After a few seconds, the blast faded.

I lowered my arm and blinked my eyes as colors danced in my field of view. I saw one Pokémon standing right where she had been when I told her to fire her attack. Behind her was a massive crater, containing a very unconscious Medicham.

My plan had worked: not hit Medicham with enough energy to stop her, but enough to knock her off target. Medicham basically did the work from there.

"He won…" said Burgundy, quietly at first. But the she stood up and yelled; "He won!"

"We did it!" I ran over to CJ and picked her up by the waist, twirling her around. She let out a weak smile, but was too tired to really do anything else. I got no static shock, as expected. I doubted she'd get her charge back for at least a few days.

Vicky limped over to me. "Boy, I haven't seen cunning and a connection with your Pokémon like that since I met my husband." She tapped me on the shoulder with her cane. "It's been about seven years since someone's beaten the Winstrate family. Now c'mon, I'll have my daughter-in-law make us somethin' to eat. It's nowhere near the best…or just plain good…but food is food, eh."

She began to lead me towards the house. Both bleachers cleared, one side much happier than the other. Victoria was alright, though. Although her family's seven year streak had been broken, she had still gotten to see her mother-in-law get her rear end handed to her. So, all in all, she was in an OK mood.

Until she noticed where all of the Hidden Power beads that had missed went.

"MY GARDEN!"

**Alright, here's my "rant" on the Gen 5 anime. I know last time I clarified that I only used the word Rant for lack of a better term. I wasn't exactly preaching on a soapbox; I wasn't trying to make people see it my way, I was just giving my old perspective. This time around, however, I have some…things to say.**

**Mostly, I have a few problems with the newer anime.**

**Don't get me wrong, I really like the anime. I loved seeing an actual Trainer's perspective of traveling through the worlds we love in the games. It was one of the contributing factors of how I got into Pokémon (it wasn't the icing on the cake, though. That's another story for another time.) I remember back when new episodes of Pokémon aired on Sundays, and I would be bummed out for the rest of the day if I woke up a few minutes late and they were already into the first commercial session.**

**Back then, I loved it just because it was Pokémon (and because of Squirtle. Again, different story.) Now, as a writer, I appreciated it for a few things.**

**The main example I'll use for this is going to see a movie. Different people walk in wanting to see a certain thing, and walk out talking about it, or maybe something else. For example, say TrainerNaps and friend walk out of a movie theater to see movie XYZ.**

**Friend: Wow! Actor X was awesome in his role as Z! He was so bla blah blah…**

**TrainerNaps: Yeah, and the story and plot devices were good. The cahracters weren't too bad either.**

**In any story (book, movie, video game) I want my mind to go to work when/after reading it, and to get something out of that. The ideal story for me is one that makes you think to get it, and once you do, it's very rewarding, but not one that you ****_have _****to think about to get. When writing, you always have to assume the person you are presenting this to is the dumbest individual on the planet, and that it can be presented to them easily (not saying that about you guys. You guys are the best!) If you think you can get them invested enough in the characters and plot, you can go a step further to give room for theories and speculation, exciting your fanbase. But if you throw people off, then you failed; you can't make a story too confusing.**

**Now that we've established my outlook on literature, back to Pokémon. In the beginning, Ash was a bold, headstrong young man who wanted to walk into a battle and walk out the undisputed champion. Along the way, he learned that that couldn't be so, and he had to train, prepare, strategize, and develop a comradery with his Pokémon in order to prevail. In fact, he had to win the respect of most of his Pokémon that actually had characters to them (Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Primeape, along with some others I may be forgetting, and Charizard, Charizard being the most difficult and taking the most time, yet being the most rewarding in the end, as he remains one of Ash's strongest Pokémon to date, and something I may gripe about later).**

**As the series progressed, Ash grew from the arrogant and brash young boy he was to a reputable Trainer who knew what was what, something I like; Ash became a dynamic character, or a character who changed over the course of his journey. He even became experienced enough to be able to legitimately share advice with aspiring new Trainers such as May, Max, and Dawn. But then the Gen 5 anime hit.**

**Ash became immature and inexperienced again, if anything, more than he was in episode 1! That made me extremely angry. They spend over a decade building his character, and then just slammed it down. I was kinda mad that they pulled the "Pikachu has too much energy, we have to vent some and bring him down to level 1" thing FOR THE SECOND TIME!, but all in all, they might as well have done that with Ash!**

**Professor Junpier: I'm sorry Mrs. Ketchum, but Ash's small brain couldn't take the amount of foreign oxygen he inhaled. He's forgotten every lesson he's ever learned, as well as the fact that he's captured other Pokémon and can use them at any time*cough* Unova League *cough cough* .**

**In fact, one of the only reasons I tolerate Iris is her constant bashing of Ash's immaturity, to which I always reply "I know, right?" out loud. I mean, she had a better character change than he did!**

**And now, Ash is happy and upbeat no matter what, which got annoying after I'd say episode 10 of the new anime. In the old one, he'd get jealous if someone had a cool Pokémon or more badges. He'd get depressed or angry if he lost. Now, the greatest change in emotion I've seen was when his rival did something jerkish and he just said, "Wow…that wasn't very nice…"**

**Speaking of Ash's new rival, Paul. I mean Trip. Did I say, Paul?**

**Oh, right, I did. That's because they're the EXACT SAME CHARACTER! Except Trip wears new clothes, doesn't have that permanent scowl on his face, has a different hair color, and instead of just being ruthless in his pursuit of victory, is just a jerk.**

**This is one of the things I felt most strongly about: them just throwing Paul at us again and going "It's new, I swear! See, his hair is a different color!"**

**TrainerNaps: "But he even has the same voice!"**

**Developers: "…Did we mention his hair is a different color?"**

**Our first rival was Gary. This complimented Ash's desire to be the very best like no one ever was, yet having to go through ever challenge, yet prevailing, and getting stronger, just like the typical underdog story. Gary was the popular stud who got all the ladies, sat in the lap of luxury, and caught all the breaks. All of his Pokémon listened to whatever he said, and he thought he had it made. But since Ash had to go through more trials and was tested more than he, eventually, what didn't kill Ash made him stronger. This lead to gary's defeat at the hands of Ash in the Johto League.**

**I could kind of get behind Paul. His brother was the over-achiever until he got beat by that one Battle-Frontier guy with the Ubers, and then set out to become better than his brother at any cost, and beat that guy who showed up his brother. He beat Ash at every turn, although Ash tried, and when he got his butt handed to him by the Regi guy, he learned a valuable lesson, and finally saw his Pokémon as partners and equals, using their trust and respect to win battles instead of just expecting them to.**

**Trip is Paul, but just a jerk.**

**I mean, if I were Ash, Trip would think twice about messing with me. I would just not let up.**

**Trip: Hey, Ash, I have 6 badges. How many do you have, loser?**

**TrainerNaps/Ash: Well, let's see…8, 16, 24, 32…plus the ones I have…does my Orange Island League plaque and Battle Frontier badges count?**

**Trip: Tch, yeah, well, my hair color is different!**

**He learned no lesson when he got whooped by Alder, and just kinda starts being nice at the end of the season. That's…about it for him…**

**I hate Trip with a burning passion. Not because of his character, but instead because of a lack thereof.**

**Another one of my opinions is that a good character gets a reaction out of an audience, good or bad. Which is why I feel I'm doing a good job (do you agree?) I've heard people who hate Steven's character, which is good; that was the desirable outcome. I've heard people who love Molly and think she's adorable; again, that was the plan.**

**Finally, a few minor gripes about the Unova League. And then, a few funny little things I thought when watching newer episodes.**

**Cameron, the guy with the headband (I missed the episode where he showed up in) is actually a pretty legit Trainer. With a few exceptions. He doesn't stop like Ash and go "Oh no, XXX is vulnerable to XXX attack! I need to do an Excel Spread-Sheet to figure out a plan…"**

**He just goes "Attack, attack, attack!" He didn't let up with Hydreigon, and put a pretty nasty dent in Ash's team.**

**I actually made a joke to myself that Cameron is meant to represent to younger audience brought in by B/W 2 (caught Riolu because it was familiar from Gen 4 games, uses Pokémon regardless of Type advantage, rapid attack represent button mashing).**

**And I feel sorry for Cameron. He really needs to get better friends! Before their battle, someone, either Iris or Cilan, commented that they wouldn't know who to cheer for. Yet they and everyone else sitting with them only rooted for Ash, only worried about Ash, and seemed horrified at the prospect of Cameron winning. Virgil, the Evee guy, was rooting for Ash because he didn't want to be bothered by having to face Cameron!**

**Well, that's about it for now. I'm gonna try and start giving my opinions on the latest episdoes every once in a while, which I can't do yet, because I missed yesterdays…but, thanks anyway!**

** Reader question: Your fav/ least fav thing about the anime. Lemmie know**

**Victoria: Oh, my precious flowers! Reviews will make them nice and strong again!**


	26. Chapter 26: The Stories We Don't Tell

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Burgundy having emerged from her bout with Victor...well, victorious, Wes was up next, using Aron against Victoria and her Roselia. In the end, slow and steady won the race, as Aron's defensive prowess and dexterity managed to tire Roselia out enough to win Wes the battle. Next came Emile and Lombre vs. Vivi and her Marill. Despite its adorable appearance, Marill proved to be a heavy hitter, giving Lombre trouble in the beginnign, but eventually working out in the end, as Vivi's lack of experience gave Emile the upper hand. The final match was Will, the fearless leader (well, sometimes fearless and sometimes the leader) vs. Vicky, the matriarch of the Winstrate family. Will used CJ, his Kirlia, and Vicky used Medicham, a might Psychic-Fighting Type. WIll and CJ struggled through the uphill battle, trying desperately to thwart Vicky's killer strategy. In the end, Will and CJ both realize that they can't win, and instead use one final super-Shock Wave to get Medicham to do the work for them, winning them the day and breaking the Winstrates' seven year win streak. Where will they go next? Find out now!**

"Well, it certainly ain't much, but it'll fill your belly," said Vicky as she placed my plate in front of me. I inhaled the intoxicating aroma of well cook steak, mashed potatoes and green beans. It was either Vicky didn't like her daughter-in-law very much, or this food tasted as bad as it looked and smelled good.

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Winstrate," I said politely, not eating yet, but instead waiting until everyone else sat down to do so.

"Oh, any time, dear!" said Victoria, preparing the rest of the plates. As she turned back around I could've sworn she mumbled something about out garden…

As our treat for being the first "family" to best theirs in over seven years, the Winstrates had allowed us to stay for dinner, as well sleep in here instead of outside somewhere. We planned not to overstay our welcome, however; tomorrow, we would continue on.

I hoped to make a decision tonight on whether or not we'd take the desert path or the one that ran through the volcano. Both sounded unpleasant. But then I remembered something.

"Excuse me," I said as Victor sat down at the head of the table, next to me. "Do you know if the cable car up Mt. Chimney is running?"

Victor's expression dropped to a grim one. "No, it's not?"

"W-why not?" asked Burgundy a bit eagerly. Victor _had _been a little foreboding with his response. I too wondered.

"I work there, you know," he added nodding his head. "I help repair the cars and keep them running. A few days ago, I got a call early in the morning. It was my boss; he said not to come to work today. To take some time off." He shook his head. "I don't know what he meant. Did he mean something was wrong? Was he firing me?"

"Honey, don't think like that," said Victoria, pecking him on the cheek and resting her head on his. "You but in an honest day of work every day of the week. You never give your boss grief about anything; you've never taken a sick day, you vacation days are always on the same week every single year, you've never asked for a pay raise…"

Vicky tapped her cane on the ground. "Victoria, would you sit down so we can all eat? Our guests were nice enough to wait for everyone to get here, why keep them waiting?" Vicky had gotten Victoria's name right…her tone had been shaky and foreboding as well. She was serious about something.

Victoria sat down quietly. She didn't growl, or mumble, or object, she just sat; she knew Vicky had something to say.

"I think I know why," continued Vicky. "Lately, I've been hearing rumors of strange Pokémon roaming around Hoenn. Some sort of…_disease _is slowly infecting the population…"

I looked over at Emile. He was trying to keep calm; Vicky was, of course, speaking of Rampant Pokérus.

"I've even heard that it can infect people…and when it does, it's worse than it is in the Pokémon," she finished with a dark whisper.

"Mommy," said Vivi in her sweet, innocent tone. "What's Gramma talking about?"

"Nothing sweetie, just a movie we were watching last night." Victoria patted Vivi on the head. She was too young to know what was really going on. The magical, whimsical paradise that the world was to her would be ruined far too early. I knew that, Victoria knew that. We all did.

Victor tried to bring the conversation away from that. "So, Will, where are you from?"

"I'm from Kanto, sir. Viridian City."

"Oh, a city boy!" said Vicky with a smile. "I know someone who regularly visits there! Do you know Blaine Nigma?"

I nodded. "Yes. Actually, he's the mayor there, now. My grandfather used to be friends with him, so we were actually very close."

"That's very nice," said Victoria, who was taking part in the conversation, as well as helping Vivi cut her meat. "You're a Trainer, yes? Did you take part in any other Leagues?"

"Yes, actually. Both the Kanto and Johto Leagues." Instantly in my head, the final moments of my final battles in both played out in my head. I saw Moltres being attacked from below by Steelix, and then crushed under a Surf attack from Tentacruel. I then saw Volcanus, my Typhlosion, launching a massive Eruption attack at Andrew's Scizor, and Volcanus dropping to the ground.

"How may badges do you have now?" asked Vivi.

"Three. I'm going for my fourth soon. Hopefully."

"Well, from all of us," said Victor, raising his glass. "We wish you luck. With all of your battles to come."

"You know, our son is challenging the Hoenn League, too," said Victoria. "If you see him, tell him we said hello. Maybe he'll even battle you!"

I nodded. "That sounds good."

…

It was 8:00. Save for Victoria, who was putting Vivi to bed, we all sat in the living room chatting. CJ was fast asleep; she had been since after the battle. She leaned up against my thigh, her small, fragile body rising and falling regularly.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Victoria. She motioned for me to come with her. Gently lowering CJ's head to a pillow, I got up and followed her down the hall, wondering what she wanted.

"What's up?" I asked as we stopped in front of a pink door, with horribly drawn pictures of Marill and the rest of the Pokémon I had faced today were shabbily taped on. This must've been Vivi's room.

"I usually sing to Vivi before she goes to bed," said Victoria with a sheepish smile as she slowly opened the door and we crept inside. "Vivi wants the winner to sing to her. Would that be too much to ask?"

"Not at all," I said, adding a smile of my own. It was really sweet, and I felt I owed it to Vivi after ending the winning streak that had been going for her entire life.

I was careful to avoid all of the crayons and papers scattered across the floor as I made my way to Vivi's bed with Victoria. "She's going through her 'artist' faze," explained Victoria.

It made sense. Several small easels were propped against the wall, each housing within its borders a mess of paint, each barely recognizable as a local Pokémon. I believed one was Minun, another was her mother's Roselia. There was a Marill, a Medicham, and one I didn't recognize. Not because of its quality, but because I simply didn't recognize it. The image was a mixture of silver and crimson. The sides were sharp, pointy edges like fans.

Vivi was barely awake n her small bed. Marill lay curled up next to her, rubbing against her arm.

"Are you going to sing to me?" she whispered. I wasn't going to say no, but if I had planned on doing so, my heart melting at this sight would've changed that.

"Of course," I said, gently rubbing her soft head. "I must warn you, I'm not that good a singer."

"It's the thought that counts," said Victoria. "Sing along if you know this one:"

I most certainly did. Victoria started.

**Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do,**

**I'm half-crazy all for the love of you-**

I joined in to sing my mother's favorite lullaby:

**It won't be a stylish marriage**

**I cannot afford a carriage**

**But you'd look sweet upon the seat**

**Of a bicycle built for two…**

Singing that song brought back a flood of memories. Back when I was very little, I couldn't remember a night where my mother didn't sing that song to me. She was a botanist, after all. She sang a lot of songs about flowers. She sang this one the most, though.

…

Our sleeping bags had been arrayed on the living room carpet. There weren't any extra beds, but we were glad just to have space for our own that wasn't outside. We stayed up for a while, chatting, though all of us lying down, and staring up at the ceiling.

"Those battles were pretty fun," said Wes. "I haven't really gotten a chance to use Aron yet."

"Same goes for me and Skitty," added Burgundy.

"Lombre and I could use a little practice," said Emile.

I rolled over to face Burgundy. "Hey, Burg, I never got to see your new connaisseuse license."

She gulped and rolled over to the other side. "I…I didn't get it…"

I propped myself up on my elbow. "What!?"

I heard Vicky shush me from her bedroom. "Hush up, young'uns! Some of us are tryin' to sleep! I'm already kept up enough by Vanity's snoring…"

"What!?" I yell-whispered. "Why not? Did I sign those papers wrong?"

"No…it's just…" She was silent for a few more moments. For some reason, this really hurt her. I mean, I would be sore too if I got banished from my home, but I thought she could go back…"

"Burgundy," said Wes in a comforting tone. "What happened?"

"I…I was too afraid to go back," whispered Burgundy shakily. "I was afraid that the Director would think I faked the documents just to come back…he doesn't trust me that much anymore…" She sniffled and took a breath in. "So I just stayed with a friend for a few days and then came back…"

I was angry. Not that Burgundy couldn't face this guy, but because this guy was apparently scary enough to make Burgundy not want to face him!

Angry.

Why was I angry? Ever since New Mauville, my first reaction to something negative was anger. Was it because I was too afraid of something?

Was I too afraid of the answers I wanted? Or was it just anger. Sure, I was angry at my dad, but…should I give him a chance to explain?

"We'll get this straightened out," I said, resting my head on my pillow. "From now on, no problem goes unsolved."

I meant that.

…

I entered a dream state similar to that a few nights ago, when I dreamt of Greyson talking with Iram and Venus. If felt the same, but it was different.

I was once again in a third person state, unable to speak or move or anything. Just observe. My view went to where the dream took me.

We were in a massive polished marble room. It was round, with pillars around the side. Behind them were large carved openings; doors. The walls were covered with elaborate carvings, and sunlight shone down from the top.

And when I say this place was massive, I meant _massive. _In fact, the person walking towards the center seemed like a little dot from my perspective. Her heels made a loud, clacking echo, as the room was empty, giving the sound more than enough space to travel.

The woman was Venus. She wore something that resembled her dress before, but this time, outfitted for combat. She had light steel shoulder plates and gauntlets. She wore not heels, but heeled combat boots. Her small sword hung at her side.

In the center of the amphitheater were three large states. Each looked relatively the same, with very minor differences. One was blue, with three polygonal fingers on each hand, with eight grey dots arrange in a stretched out plus sign. One was brown and orange, with a chain of three boulders for each arm, and seven grey dots in the shape of an H. And one was black and silver, with actual fingers on its hands, with seven grey dots in the shape of a hexagon, with one dot in the middle.

If they had not been there, I would have assumed that Venus was talking to herself.

"Iram thinks he knows what he's doing." She let out a brief chuckle. "He may, but I know better."

She stood in front of the three golem-like statues. "He sends task force after task force to apprehend Aria, but her fails to realize they don't return because they fail.

"They don't return because Aria tells them not to. Her words slither into your mind like snakes, biting down on your brain and injecting it with their venom. Her goals become yours. Her will is to be carried out at any cost. Everyone Aria speaks to becomes her thrall.

"But not you three." She unrolled the scroll she had been carrying under her arm and looked at it. "I have studied the artifact from Sinnoh extensively. With the knowledge I have gathered from it, I have made you three into the ultimate hunters. The ultimate killers."

She walked over to the first one and touched it with fingertips. "You will feel no mercy for her; you will hunt with a heart of ice." It's dots glowed yellow. She moved to the next one and touched it.

"You will never give up; you will seek her with a resolve as solid as rock." Its dots turned orange. She moved to the final one and touched it.

"And you will defeat her; you will have a will as strong as steel."

She stepped back. The golems stood motionless, their dots glowing. "Now go, my agents. Go and bring down Aria. Bring her to me if possible, but you are fully allowed to kill her if the need be."

The first one lifted a pointy blue foot and look a lumbering step forward. The whole room shook. It then moved the other foot. Ever so slowly, putting one foot in front of the other, it lumbered away. When it was about ten feet from its starting position, the second one moved, swinging its rocky arms as it went. And after that one was ten feet away, the third one moved, its red dot-eyes swirling on and off like an arcade machine.

"Iiiiiiice!" creaked the first one with a metallic screech.

"Roooooak!" moaned the second one with a metallic roar.

"Zsteeeeeeel!" whistled the third one with a metallic buzz.

…

"So, right here?"

"Yup. Just stick it on!"

I knelt down in front of a tall stone slab in the front of Victoria's garden. On the very top, it read "The Stone of Victory!" Below it were several small plaques, each with four name plates on it. These must've been the people who managed to best the Winstrates. I counted only six: we were the seventh.

Apparently, Victor had a plate maker in his office, at the ready. It had been very dusty when we had written our names on a slip of paper, slid it into the machine, and Victor cranked the lever, pressing each of our names into a small piece of copper.

It had the date, February 13th 2513 C.E, and the four of our names on it. So that any who challenged the Winstrates, or even walked by, would know we managed to defeat them. It felt like a huge honor.

"Thank you very much for everything," I said, waving to them as we made our way up the hill and back down Route 111. "It was great battling you!"

"Good luck!" cried Victoria as she waved.

"Don't let us have lost for nothin'!" cried Vicky.

"I challenge you to come back for a rematch someday!" cried Vivi, jumping up and down and shaking her fist. The three adults laughed, and Victor pulled Vivi up onto his shoulders as they all made their way back to the house.

…

"Guys, can we hold up for a second?" said Burgundy, hopping on one foot and plopping down on a boulder. "I've got another rock in my shoe!"

Wes moaned and leaned up against the canyon wall. "Burgundy, this is like the fifth rock you've gotten lodged in your shoe!"

"It's really irritating!" she moaned as she took off her shoe and shook the pebble out of it.

"We're making good time!"

"We can't stop for ten seconds and let me clear my shoe?"

"It's not that, it's just we stop every twenty minutes!"

I sighed and covered my forehead with my right hand. We were alone in the small pass. The canyon walls went up about thirty feet, and every bit of sound echoed off of one wall and onto another before being flung into the air. Which meant that arguments were two times as loud.

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if the Winstrates could hear Wes and Burgundy arguing.

"Will you guys just quit it?" I asked impatiently. Burgundy shoved her foot back into her shoe and popped back up.

"Was that so difficult, guys? Now let's go, if it's so important to get to that Arceus-forsaken desert!" She began to march ahead. The three of us stood still for a moment.

"Uh, I thought we agreed on the Fiery Path?" asked Emile.

"Uh no!" snapped Burgundy turning on her heel to face us. "There isn't an unpleasant adjective in front of 'desert', so I say we take that one!"

"Will, why don't you decide?" said Wes, wisely trying to avoid further arguments. I scratched my chin. "Well, the Fiery Path does sound a little hard, but…"

"ARRRRRRR!" We all looked up, looking for the source of the screech. The sky was clear, save for the clouds. And from the fact that sound bounced around the canyon, it could've been anywhere.

"What was that?" whispered Burgundy, not moving from the position that she had been in right before the screech had sounded.

"I don't know," I replied, reaching for Grunt's Pokéball. "But I sure didn't like it. Come on." We all turned and hustled down the path, an eerie silence drifting over the canyon, the only sound being our ragged breathing and out feet crunching on the pebbles.

And then a shadow passed over us. We looked up to see a bird Pokémon flying over us, not flapping its wings but gliding on the current in the air.

"Do you think that was it?" asked Burgundy, fear in her voice. I took out Dex.

"I'd count on it."

_Awwww, is Willie scared of the big bad birdie?_

"Really, Dex?"

_I mean seriously, haven't you faced scarier things? Moltres, Mewtwo, people with swords, people with guns. People who wanna kill you…oh, wait, that's pretty much all of them…_

"Uh…Will?" croaked Wes, his shaky arm pointing up. "It's…uh, it's coming back…"

I frantically turned back to the device. "Dex, I am seriously considering throwing you at the nearest wall!"

_Alright, alright…yeesh, that lady must've been right. The food really was nasty…_

_Skarmory _

_The Armor Bird Pokémon_

_Its heavy-looking iron body is actually thin and light, so it can fly at speeds over 180 mph._

"Maker," said Zip, who I had told to be quiet until an emergency situation came up. I guess this counted. "Might I suggest finding cover?"

"For once, Zip is right!" said Wes, fear gripping his face. He looked to the sky and found it was too late. "Duck!"

We all hit the deck as Skarmory zoomed over us, kicking up one heck of a gust, I turned to see it flapping its wings, ready for another pass.

"Run!" I yelled as I shot up to my feet. "If we stay here, we're dead!"

"Where are we gonna run to?" asked Burgundy. "The desert or the-"

"JUST GO!"

We all bolted down the canyon at full speed. When being chased by a winged death machine, it's never wise to look back, but curiosity got the better of me. It had already turned around, and was bearing down on us.

"Zip! Thunder Wave! Slow it down!"

"An excellent choice, Maker!" said Zip, doing his little happy face. "I estimate a 74% chance that this will…"

"JUST DO IT!"

The screw on top of Zip's head spun, and then launched a blue ball of energy at Skarmory, who simply tilted to the side and avoided the ball completely.

"…miss completely…" came Zip's closing statement. I guess I should let him finish next time.

For what seemed like hours (yet Zip graciously informed me was only seven minutes) we sprinted, the Skarmory hot on our tail. Pure adrenaline kept us going: the drive inside of all living things to survive. Even in humans, who's sense of "predator and prey" vanished thousands of years ago when we dominated the Earth.

I guessed that Skarmory could've caught us at absolutely any time, but was just toying with us. A predator toying with his prey before he put an end to it. If I was actually battling the thing, I might've been able to use its arrogance against it. But if I stopped to take out a Pokéball, it would most likely tear me to shreds.

A sandy gust of wind slapped me in the face. I raised my arm to cover it as we continued on, stopping for nothing. The sandy gales picked up, heralding our entrance to the desert.

"Maker, look!" Against my better judgment, I turned to see Skarmory flapping its wings against the sandy winds, and turning around. I knew this was because it had turned its wings to face the winds to get into a position to swoop in and grab my shoulders with its talons. If it had been gliding straight like before, we wouldn't have stood a chance.

And I was willing to be that it would be gliding when it came back for us. Which it would.

I skidded to a stop in the sand. "Guys, stop, it's gone!"

"Woohoo, we-gawp!" Burgundy stopped as she got a mouthful of sand. "Bla! Gross!"

"Well, this was your idea!" yelled Wes over the howling winds.

"If anything, it was that Skarmory's idea!" Emile yelled. "If we wanna get through this sandstorm, we'll have to work together!"

"Emile has a point!" I added. "Stick together, the sandstorm doesn't give us a good field of vision!"

"Here!" Wes knelt down and opened his backpack, pulling out four pairs of goggles. He tossed one to Emile, and then one to me. He stood up and handed one to Burgundy, and then put on his own pair. "In anticipation of going down this way, I bought these back in Mauville! They're called Go-Go Goggles!"

"Ha!" said Burgundy, pointing a finger at Wes after strapping on her goggles. "So you _were_ planning on coming this way!"

"I said, I only bought these Go-Go Goggles in case!"

"We'll let's 'go-go!'" I shouted. "I wanna get out of this storm ASAP!"

We all turned to leave, but stopped when we saw a small orange scarab-looking Pokémon blocking our path. It blinked its eyes twice as it stared blankly.

"Uh…hi?" said Emile, waving his hand. I took out Dex, careful not to let the wind blow him out of my hands.

_Trapinch_

_The Ant Pit Pokémon_

_It makes an inescapable conical pit and lies in wait at the bottom for prey to come tumbling down._

As soon as Dex finished, it burrowed straight into the ground.

"Interesting," said Zip, floating over to the spot where it had vanished. "That behavior would imply that-"

Trapinch leapt right out of the sand and locked its jaws onto Zip, dragging him under the sand.

"Zip!" I cried, and ran over to the spot. I got down onto my knees and started pawing at the sand.

"Wow," giggled Burgundy. "I'm really starting to like this desert!"

I shot her a look. "Guys, we all need to start looking for Zip!"

Right on queue again, Trapinch's head popped out of the sand. It blinked twice at me.

"Hey, you!" I shouted. "Gimmie back my Pokémon!"

It blinked twice again, and another Trapinch head popped up next to it. And another. And another. Soon, they encircled me.

"Will…" whispered Wes. "Don't move. I think we're above a nest…"

The one closest to me bit onto my right sleeve and sunk under the sand. I screamed as I struggled to get out of my jacket, which I managed to do, but it was dragged under. I shot to my feet and backpedaled, until tripping on a Trapinch and falling onto my rear.

I tried to scooch backwards, but two more grabbed my pant legs. And started to pull me under.

"Help!" I cried as more joined in, dragging me down waist deep into sand. Everyone ran over to em and grabbed my hands. They all pulled.

For a second, it seemed that they would pull me out, but the Trapinch had other plans. One bit Wes on the leg. He hunched back in pain. Once bit Emile on the wrist. He screamed and desperately tried to shake it off.

Burgundy wasn't as fortunate as the other two. Her Trapinch chomped right down on her rear. She yelped and stumbled back.

More Trapinch bit onto my shirt and started to pull me under. Before I knew it, I was up to my chest, and then my shoulders.

"Help!" I cried on more time, before being tugged under the sand.

**Will has been taken under the sand by an army of Trapinch. What will become of him? Will he ever be able to make his way out? Find out, next time!**

**Before I guy, you may have noticed I added a year in. I wanted to have an actual time scale I could use, so I did some research. I don't want to have to make someone explain the calendar of the world, as that would be a little redundant, so I'll do it now. Basically, 2500 years ago construction finished on what is now the Relic Castle, heralding the official creation of the Unova region, which the Unovans based their calendar off of. C.E being the new unit of time after that, Common Era, and the years before that being B.C.E, or Before Common Era. Once the world saw that Unova's calendar was the least flawed, they all made the switch. So there you go.**

**Reader Question: What Pokemon do you/would you fear the most if you lived in the Pokemon World? Or just flat out fear. **

**Victor: Well...I guess I'm on vacation now...might as well review. You all should too!**


	27. Chapter 27: Cave Story

**Last time on Dragon Ball Z- I mean, Previously on Revelations:**

**After settling down for dinner at the Winstrates', prior to going 4 for 4 in their battle tournament, Team Grey learns that a shadow of fear has extended over this part of Hoenn, as reports of strange Pokemon have been reported all around. These of course being the infected RP Pokemon that Emile seeks to cure. After taking a breif trip down memory lane by singing an old lullaby to Vivi, everyone prepares for sleep, but not before it is revealed that Burgundy was too afraid to return home and renew her connasseuse license. Will adamantly decides no never again let a problem with his friends go unsolved, and swears to make it right one day. After adding their names to the Wall of Victors, the team sets off, only to be chased into the desert by an angry Skarmory. But they were not out of danger yet. Ambushed by a swarm of Trapinch, Zip and Will are dragged deep underground. What will become of them? Find out...now**

* * *

"AAAAAH!" I crashed down hard onto my back. I groaned in pain as I felt the Trapinch release me, and heard them scuttle away. Sand poured down from the ceiling onto my leg.

I leaned up against a rock behind me to rest my injured back. I tried to open my eyes…wait, they were already open…it was pitch black down here.

I felt the ground around me. The rock was rough and uneven, jutting out in all sorts of uneven fashions. I moved my legs a bit too, to get a better sense of the terrain. Yup. Uneven all throughout the tunnel.

It kinda made sense. The Trapinch would carve out these tunnels, and since it's so dark, they'd memorize every inch. So going from point A to point B would just be going through the motions: muscle memory.

I shakily got to my feet. The tunnel must've been at least six feet five inches tall, because my head didn't bump the ceiling. But then again, it must be taller; that was a pretty nasty fall.

I looked up. I must've been dragged through some sort of hole. I took a few careful steps forward and confirmed that. A large mound of soft sand was piling up, drizzling in from the ceiling. That must be one of the main ways the Trapinch get in and out.

I heard clicking behind me. I turned around, which did absolutely no good, but felt a Trapinch bump my leg. It kept going. Everything in a hive must have some sort of duty. I heard more and more scuttling. More Trapinch zipped by me, and even more bumped into me. And then came the horde.

It started with one jumping on my leg. That got me off balance. Another jumped on my stomach, knocking me down, luckily onto the pile of sand. And then they were all over me.

They crawled, not stopping, over my body to get to wherever they were going. I screamed; I was horrified. I kicked and flailed, but nothing stopped the wave of Trapinch. I could feel the dry prickly legs all over me, like I was swimming in an ocean of bugs. And then, just as soon as it started, it stopped. I heard a few of those in the back of the pack scuttle by, and then that was all.

I jumped up, still freaking out, frantically brushing myself off, as the sensation of thousands of Trapinch scuttling over me still lingered. I fell down against a rock, possibly the same one as before, maybe not, breathing heavy. After a few minutes, the itching and scratching faded, and I was left again to the sound of my ragged breathing.

Shakily, I got to my feet again. And again, although it did no good, I looked around for any Trapinch. I think it's safe to say I was traumatized.

I walked slowly, feeling the right wall as I went. A small ledge though made me drop, though I kept my balance. My right hand slipped from the wall though, and I managed to catch myself by using it to stop on a boulder. I felt something. It was soft, almost, and what I grabbed felt like a sleeve…

"My jacket?" I grabbed it, and fumbling in the darkness, managed to put it on. The familiar feel confirmed it.

As I reclaimed my first possession, my hands immediately dropped to the top of my pants.. My belt was gone.

My pants fit well enough that I didn't need a belt to hold them up, but I kept all of my occupied Pokéballs on its. And it was gone. Lost in the sand, perhaps forever!

My backpack was gone. As was Zip. I remembered he had been sucked under to.

This was hopeless. Even if I did get out, what would be waiting for me? Without my friends or my supplies or my Pokémon, would I be doomed to die in the desert. Or, let's not get too far ahead, would I be doomed to die in here!?

I walked along slowly, this time feeling ahead with my foot every once in a while in case of any drops. Feeling secure, I continued ahead a few more feet, until I stepped on something.

"Vura!" it screeched and scuttled away. I shrieked and fell on my rear, crawling backwards until I hit I rock. Using it, I shakily stood up, ready to face the Trapinch. But that wasn't what I had found.

I peered into the darkness, and instead of seeing the beady little eyes of a Trapinch, I saw somewhat luminescent green, almost catlike eyes. I crept forward a bit to get a good look.

The Pokémon had a body about three feet long with a cream colored body, and four black legs. It had four green wings, diamond shaped and rimmed with black. Its tail had two similar such wings, only much smaller and at the tip. It had a small head, containing not much more than its big eyes. It had two feelers sticking out from its forehead.

I was a little skeptical at first, as I had almost been stripped of my flesh by the cave's inhabitant, but I then saw what it was actually doing. It was pressing itself up against a small rock and shivering; _it _was afraid of _me_!

"Hey, little guy," I said, getting down on my knee. "Or girl, I…I can't really tell right now…but I'm not gonna hurt you…"

"Vrrrrr…" It pushed itself further up against the wall. I scooched forward a bit, and it shrieked and shivered harder.

"Hey, it's alright." I slowly reached out my arm. "I'm your friend. My name is Will. Do you have a name?"

It was silent this time, its brilliant green eyes trained on my hand, watching it draw closer and closer, but not doing anything about it.

I finally brushed its head with two fingers. It closed its eyes and nodded its head, apparently ready to die. But I simply felt its dry carapace, and withdrew my hand. It reopened its eyes and looked back at me, confused.

I smiled. "See? Friend." It drew away from the wall a bit, and slowly stepped forward. I pet it on the head again, this time with my whole hand. It drew a bit closer.

Both of our heads shot down the tunnel as we heard clicking. "Vrrrrrr!" It jumped into my arms, shivering.

"Come on! I'll getcha out of here!" I broke into a full sprint down the tunnel, not wanting to face the orange menace that was apparently pursuing us. I stumbled and tripped, but never fell, my fear and duty to this mystery Pokémon keeping me up. I turned down several different passes, until I was sure it was lost. I stopped, panting, and let the Pokémon down. It scuttled out in front of me.

"Vrrrr." Reading its emotions, it felt happy; reassured.

"Yeah," I said, breathing heavily. "That was…that was close."

I looked around, not learning my lesson from the last time. It did no good; it was pitch black.

"How are we gonna get out of here, little buddy?" I asked the Pokémon, bending over to pet it once again. It tilted its hand back and forth happily this time, apparently enjoying the attention.

And then I felt the scars.

"Those things," I whispered, feeling the rest of its body. Covered in scars and bite marks. "They tried to make you into a meal, didn't they?"

"Vrrrr!" It must've known what I was talking about. I hopped back into my arms, shivering. How long had it been down here?

"It's alright," I said, smiling down at it reassuringly. "We're gonna get out of here. But we're gonna have to work together. Do you know how to get out?"

"Vrrrr." I climbed down and scuttled ahead. It turned fluttered its wings, and then continued on slowly. Like the Trapinch, it must've known these tunnels by heart.

But if it did, and it was leading me to the exit, than why hasn't it left yet?

…...

My heart skipped a beat when I saw it; light! The dull orange glow slightly resembled sunset. I must've been down here all day. Scout didn't seem to fazed though. It just kept going. I had taken to calling the Pokémon "Scout," as I didn't know its species.

"Hm. That's kinda weird," I said to myself as we neared the light. We were reaching the edge of the Trapinch tunnel. The light was shining up from the bottom.

We both reached the edge, and peered down. A pile of rubble formed a slope, and light shone down the tunnel below. But that was no Trapinch tunnel.

I slid down, and Scout followed. I was right. Pokémon did not make these new tunnels. Humans did.

The floor and walls were smooth, save for some missing chunks and pieces. Stylish patterns covered the hall. In regular indents, luminescent orange crystals gave off light to illuminate the path. It wasn't sunlight, but it was progress. At least I could see now.

Scout stopped and started to shiver again. This must be the part that discouraged it from going it. Maybe it was the unfamiliarity of the man-made tunnels. I took point this time.

"Come on. I think I've got it from here," I said, picking it up and putting it on my shoulder. "Besides, we've got nothing to worry about now. I doubt the Trapinch come this far down.

I walked down the tunnel, Scout on my shoulder, still shaking. I admired the walls as I went. Such intricate and graceful architecture. I had never seen anything like this before.

But that wasn't even the most amazing part. Eventually, we came across a small (compared to the massive one from my dreams) circular room. There was an outer circle of pillars and arches, ad an inner circle with a pedestal in the center.

And something very strange on top of it.

Though behind the thing, half of the room was covered with a magnificent, smooth wall, with pictures and words in an ancient language carved into it. I couldn't read it. It wasn't any language I had even seen, and it wasn't the one I had translated.

Some was faded, some pieces were gone, but I could still make out a few parts. I saw people running from a giant blue, polygonal monster. It looked like the one from my dreams. That was on the left. On the far right shown a gigantic red dragon, along with a massive blue shark, jaws and claws bared, facing the top right of the carvings. There was a big chunk missing there, but I caught a black wing poking out from the missing part.

But the very middle was the most…well, let's just say it caught my attention.

Crowds of people were bowing down in front of a massive throne. Forming an almost triangle shape around the throne, one at each point of the triangle, were the golems I had seen from my dream, each chained up.

And sitting on the throne was Aria.

"My nose isn't really that big, is it?"

I twirled around to see Aria; the _real _Aria. Or at least I thought. She looked like she did when she was in my head back in Johto, except now like a shimmering blue hologram.

She walked up next to me, and I backed up a few feet. I could feel Scout shivering again on my shoulders. She paid me no mind, however. She just stared up at the carvings on the great stone wall.

"Hm," she said, surveying the whole thing. "Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?"

I didn't speak. Instead, I balled up my fists and bent my knees. She turned her head and burst out laughing.

"Relax, Killer, I'm not here to try anything." She walked slowly over to me, and then walked _through _me! "And besides, do you really think that would've done much?"

"Aria, what is all this?" I demanded angrily. She gingerly strolled back to where she had been standing.

"Oh, it's nothing really. It's just a temple built in my honor."

I was astounded. I almost laughed out loud. "A temple in _your _honor? No person in their right mind would name a _sandwich _after you!"

"Oh, it's just a part of human nature," she said like she was implying something.

I blinked in confusion. "Excuse me."

"When stuff gets out of hand, and all else fails, we look to the heavens for all the answers." She shrugged, and turned to me with an evil grin on her face. "So when people start prayin' to God, you'll know you're doing your job wrong."

"Okay…I still don't get why the ancient Hoennians built this temple for you. I thought you caused two wars!"

"Oooh," she swaggered over to me, one hand on her hip. "Someone's been reading up on his history, hasn't he?"

"I had a dream. And in that dream, I saw _that thing _being told it had to kill you!" I pointed up to the golem chained at the top of the pedestal. Each of its boulder-like arms was chained to a great stone obelisk.

"Tch. Can't you read ancient Hoennese?"

"No…"

She blew a ghostly strand of hair out of her ghostly face and walked over to the extreme left of the stone slab, and bent down slightly, putting her hands on her knees. "Well, mine's a little rusty too. Basically, Venus sent her little toys after me. I saw the opportunity to have a little…fun." She licked her lips.

I folded my arms and tapped my foot. "Three wars?" I asked blandly.

"Almost." She stood up straight and walked slowly to the right, talking as she did. "I hid here in Hoenn after my…erm, work in Almia had been done, I found out that three beasties had been following me. Unlike the others sent after me, they didn't…listen well." She rolled up one of her sleeves under her armor, revealing a long scar running from her shoulder to her wrist.

"They were quite persistent. And quite…well, invincible. So, I came here. The golems had specific instructions from Venus to not let anything get in their path." She laughed and shook her head sadistically. "And they sure didn't."

She pointed to the parts of the carving I had noticed earlier; the blue one rampaging through the town. The silver and black one annihilating an army with a beam of energy from its eyes. And the big brown and orange one to my left knocking down large trees with just a swing of its arms.

"Eventually, when all else failed, and the Hoennians realized that little me couldn't be caught," she said in an innocent voice, "-they hailed me as some sort of demon or vengeful goddess." She stood still and admired her nails. "Personally, I liked the second one a little better, but it's definitely not my favorite nickname. Anyway, the Hoennians rounded these bad boys up as an offering to me, and built these temples." She laughed again, this time nearly doubling over. "You should've seen the look on Venus's face when her 'perfect killers' were brought down! Ha!"

She continued laughing on her own, and I looked up at Scout, an expression of confusion on both of our faces. I turned back to Aria. "So, why did you come here."

She stopped and wiped a tear from her eye (could ghosts cry?) and walked over to me. "I was wondering if you wanted to restart our little…lessons again. You'll certainly need them."

"Uh, heck no!" I yelled, waving both of my arms in a downward X motion. "Remember last time? You took over my body and tried to kill my friends!"

"Huh. That was a pretty eventful afternoon," she said with a slight chuckle. "Well, okay then, if you insist. I won't force you." She turned on her heels and began to walk away. Was it really that easy? No mind control? No taking control of my body? No supernatural warrior magic? Nothing!?

"But," her sudden interjection snapped in my ears like a flash bang had gone off in my head. "I am pretty persistent. I'll ask again, you can be sure of that. And I'll probably have new ways of convincing you. But for now…" She snapped her fingers. "Toodles, Will."

And with that, she vanished.

"Vrrrr," said Scout with a shiver.

"Yeah," I said to her in a hushed whisper. "That was pretty weird. But lemmie just warn you, if you sign on with me, it'll just get-"

"Maker!"

"-weirder…"

Around the golem, from another one of the doorways behind the pillars came Zip, in absolute ecstasy that he had found me. When he reached me, he began circling around my head happily. Scout shuddered, and fled to in between my legs.

"Oh, Maker, you wouldn't believe how desperately I wished to find you!" said the gleeful drone as her stopped in front of my face, a little too close for comfort. I took a step back, almost tripping over Scout.

"It's, uh…it's good to see you too, Zip."

"Oh, and what is this?" he lowered himself down to my legs and looked at Scout, who shivered again and better hid itself. "A Vibrava?"

"Oh, so that's what it is. I found…Zip?"

'"It is a female, Maker."

"Thanks. I found _her _in those tunnels after I had gotten sucked under." I bent over and picked her up, still shivering from Zip's surprise visit. I would have to take more caution when introducing her to the rest of the group. "I was thinking of taking her with us."

"Oh, that would be very good, Maker! Great idea!"

"Yeah…I thought so, too…"

"Oh Maker, you most likely saved her life! Trapinch all evolve at the same season each year. This one must have evolved sooner than the rest, making her an outcast. The other Trapinch must have turned on her for food, but her superior form must have been too much. My readings indicate that she is in fact very weak, and judging from the ageing of the wounds she has suffers, she survived multiple attacks, barely fending off each one. I calculate a seventy nine point two percent chance that she would not have survived the next assault."

Zip began revolving around me again happily. Scout was taken by surprised, and began to shiver again. If those Trapinch didn't kill her, Zip's constant spontaneous behavior probably would…

"Oh, Maker!" he praised, still spinning around me. I decided to stop tracking him, as I was getting dizzy. "Not only did you save this poor Vibrava, but you managed to beat the odds! While searching through the tunnels I calculated a sixty five point eight percent chance you would not make it! Oh, with point three chance of percent error. Oh, Maker, in these situations, I am sure you will always be the point three percent!"

"Uh…thanks Zip." I said, surveying my surroundings a second time, as the first time I had found the tapestry and then been interrupted by Aria, as well as Zip. "Now, how did we get out of here…"

"On my way in, I did a survey of the room," said Zip, floating out to the left of me. "If you travel from where I am pointing right now, you will find a staircase winding up around this circular room. I hypothesize that it will lead to an upper tower of sorts, to provide us with an escape."

"Good job, Zip," I said, patting Scout with my finger to make sure my sudden movement didn't disturb her, and started moving to where Zip had been pointing.

"Oh, praise from you is high praise indeed, Maker!" said Zip excitedly, floating out in front. "I will take point, to make sure that no Trapinch have wandered into these ruins and gotten lost."

"Oh, please do." This time, I shivered as well as Scout.

"Vrah!" Scout screeched suddenly, and fluttered her wings, floating a few inches above my shoulder before falling back down. Her wings must've been pretty weak; in the dark atmosphere of the tunnels, it would be hard to exercise them, as the inhabitants relied on the ground to know where they were going, and any sudden change in perspective would make them utterly lost.

But Scout had forewarned me of what was going around. The ground shook, and I turned back to the center of the room. The golem was stirring. And that couldn't be good.

One of its long arms, slowly rose, and then whipped down, snapping the chain like it was made of milk. And then, just as easy as the first, it ripped apart the second. Bits of metal went flying everywhere.

It took one slow, lumbering step down the center pedestal. Then another. And another.

"Vrrrr…" Scout closed her eyes and pressed her head up against my neck, her shaking rivaling that of a dryer. I didn't know what to do; whether to run, or…well, there weren't any other options really. I just didn't know what to do.

It had reached the bottom of the pedestal. And then it slowly turned, revealing that the seven dots resembling an H were now glowing bright orange.

"Rooooooak!" It raised its arms to the sky, and the temple began to shake.

* * *

**Regirock has awakened from its ancient sleep! Is Will capable of taking down the stone soldier? Or is he doomed to be crushed under the falling temple? And what did Aria mean exactly? Stay tuned to find out!**

**Okay, Reader Question of the Day! What is your favorite Pokemon theory/conspiracy. I don't exactly mean in the lore of the game, but one of those theories that float around to fill in plot holes. Like the on about Gengar being a Clefable shadow, or the one about how Blue's Ratticate apparently dies after you fight him on the S.S Anne? It could be a creepypasta, it could be a regular one. It could be one of your own!**

**Scout:** **Vrrrrrrrrrr! **_Review! Please...or not...it's okay if you don't...but Will will be happy if you do...I'm gonna go lie back down..._


	28. Chapter 28: Boulder Than Before

**(And you guys thought the rock puns stopped after Pewter City!)**

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will found himself lost in the dark tunnels of the Trapinch nest, scared and alone. And emphasis could be put on scared, as he was nearly eaten alive by Trapinch. After wandering through the tunnels for a while, Will stumbled upon Scout, a lost Vibrava, morbidly terrified of the caves, in which she was trapped. The two helped each other escaped the tunnels, and eventually found themselves in an ancient temple of some sort. In it, not only did they find Zip and Aria, who explained her past as a enemy of the Hoenn state, but also the great stone golem Regirock, one of the constructs from Will's dream. The creature wakes from its slumber, and the temple begins to crumble. What will become of Will, Zip, and Scout? Find out now!**

* * *

The temple was full on earthquake-style shaking. Rocks, both big and small began to fall from the ceiling. The golem had its long boulder-chain arms raised to the sky, roaring fiercer than any fictional monster I had seen in any movie.

The part of me that tried to make every situation funny kicked in. "Heh, maybe it's just yawning. It slept for a couple hundred years, you know."

The part of me that tried to be optimistic through every situation kicked in. "It hasn't done anything harmful, yet. It could be friendly."

The part of me that was calm and logical, reasoning and strategizing through every situation kicked in. "RUN!"

I turned and beat feet just in time; it flung a massive boulder from its arm at me. I dove to the left just in time for it to zoom over me, crashing into one of the pillars, effectively taking out 75% of the whole thing.

The temple shook with more ferocity. More rocks began to tumble from the ceiling. Pillars and archways began to tip over and crumble. And the golem kept getting closer.

"Maybe he wants a hug," said joker me.

"You could be standing in front of a door. Maybe it wants to leave," said optimistic me.

"RUN! GOGOGOGOGO!" said logical me.

"Maker," yelled Zip, hovering quickly to the side to avoid a boulder that almost crushed him. "Upon further analyzing the text, I have concluded that this golem is called Regirock! It is a Rock-Type!"

"You don't say!?" I hollered back, once again narrowly avoiding another giant boulder, this one embedding itself in the wall. Well, looks like all those years of dodgeball in gym class finally paid off in the real world. I guess Coach Jones was right… "And have you been staring at the pictures this whole time? Can't you 'further analyze' a way out of here!?"

"Maker, the stairway still remains our best hope of escape!"

"What about that thing?" I raised my arms to cover my face as a boulder crashed down in front of me, spraying up a cloud of dust. Scout shrieked again. I couldn't tell if Scout was shaking furiously, or a rock had dislocated my shoulder and made it numb. "Regirock or whatever! It'll nail us if we try!"

"Maker, if you wish, I can sacrifice myself for you to escape!"

"No, Zip. Either all of us leave, or none of us do!"

"Vira!?" Scout seemed surprised at that. Like she had just signed a contract, and then found something she didn't like in the tiny print at the bottom.

"Well, Scout, that's how we-WHOA!" I jumped to avoid another boulder. "That's how we do it here!"

"Vi-rah!" she said snootily.

"We'll, if you don't like, it you can leave," I said, pointing to the door behind Regirock. I believe we came in through that way!"

She stood motionless for a moment, and then started purring lovingly into my ear. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

I weighed my options. If we were to get out, _something _had to be done about Regirock. It was a Rock-Type. Could Skipper and Grunt maybe…no, my Pokéballs are gone.

There's the Master Ball! This kinda counts as an emergency, so I could…no, that was in my backpack…

"Maker, if I may suggest something," shouted Zip as a cloud of dust and pebbles sprayed up behind him. "Might we try running _at _the golem? It would not be able to hit us with boulders at such close range. If we avoid it, it would take time for it to turn, helping us escape."

"Zip, do you _see_ those arms?" I said, pointing to its long chains of earth that it called "arms." Those things could flatten me and Scout like a pancake! You'd be able to zip around, but not us!"

"Hmmm, good point," said Zip, looking down to think again. "Well, we could wait until its arm runs out of boulders to throw."

Right in queue, it plugged both arms into the ground, and pulled them back up. The boulders it had thrown had been replenished.

"Oh, well that's just _great_!" I yelled at the sky. "Come on, we're trying the stairs!"

"But, Maker-"

"No buts!" I turned and ran, stumbling as another boulder exploded against the wall behind me. I was prepared to grab Zip and carry him like a football, but he proved able to keep pace with me.

I ran in between the small space winding around the circular archway of pillars around the center room, rocks and chunks of the temple falling down around me, and in some cases, on top of me.

I heard a mighty crack, and looked up. A piece of ceiling the size of a car was dislodging itself from the ceiling. It was going to crush me. I closed my eyes and prepared for the end.

But then I heard a whir, resembling that of a dental instrument. I looked to see Zip, spinning like a top at sonic speeds. Just as the rock began to fall, Zip shot up, and cut a hole in the rock. It fell _around _me; I had gone right through the bulls-eye that Zip had created.

"Zip, you're the best."

"Oh, Maker, praise from you is high-"

"Yeah, I know, duck!" I grabbed him with my right arm and pulled him down, ducking into the hole, as another boulder flew over us. I jumped back up, climbed out, and kept running.

We might make it. We might actually make it!

Regirock lowered its arms. But then raised them again. This time to its face, and this time, the tips close together. And then an orange ball of energy appeared in between them. It was charging a Hyper Beam.

"Zip, I, uh, don't suppose you could cut a hole through that," I said as I ran, my voice cracking at the word 'hole'.

"I can certainly try, Maker."

"Never mind!" I squeezed my eyes shut briefly and growled. I came this far, accomplished this much, only to be dragged into a pit by some stupid bugs, and done in by a rock monster! I needed a miracle.

That miracle came in the form of one of my greatest fears. I involuntarily stopped at the sound of scuttling. My skin crawled as I saw a swarm of Trapinch approaching from behind Regirock. I heard a gurgle, and Scout dropped from my shoulder. I caught her in my arms. Too many things had been scaring her; she had passed out.

Well, I thought that the universe couldn't mess with me enough. I guess I was wrong. Roasted by a Hyper Beam, only to have my body devoured by Trapinch. I guess that's gonna be a closed-casket funeral…

Just as I started thinking about what awesome movie quote I would say before I died, I heard a groan erupt from Regirock. The Trapinch weren't swarming _me_…they were swarming _it_! It still kept on charging its Hyper Beam, but the orange sea of Trapinch enveloped in, gnawing at its rocky carapace.

It was a giant of a Pokémon, but strength in numbers eventually beat out strength in essence. It began to teeter back and forth, just as its Hyper Beam fired. It struck the side of the circular chamber, towards the middles.

It began to step backwards, desperately trying to throw off its attackers. It brushed them off in as many as five at a time, but they just kept coming. They must have felt the tremors, and came to eliminate the threat to their nest.

I shook my head, breaking the awe-like state I was in. "Run!" I cried, and we broke towards the stairs. I ran up with all of my remaining strength. Parts had been missing. I easily jumped those gaps with my long legs. As we climbed the stairs, which had wound across the circular tower, I turned my head slightly, my axis giving me a decent angle to watch the fight.

Regirock brushed its long arms at the swarm, knocking a considerable amount at the wall. Some stayed where they lie, other got back up and joined their brethren.

And then, Regirock stood still. At first, I thought that the Trapinch had finally gotten something vital. But then, it spread out its arms and started spinning like a top, flinging off all Trapinch. It lowered its arms, and lumbered towards the oncoming swarms to give them theirs.

Trapinch were flung everywhere. I saw a few shower down back into the bottom of the circular room. One even landed upside down in front of us. I shrieked and kicked it aside as a reflex. I turned my attention back to the stairs, back to _survival, _and ran.

…

"We can't give up hope!" cried Wes in a hoarse voice, clawing through the sand. "He-he's gotta be in some tunnel or something! I had to be!"

They had been digging around for a few hours. No hear had been able to stop them. No desert wind had turned them away. That had to find their friend. But the search was beginning to grow desperate. Desperate, and hopeless.

So far, all they had found was Will's backpack (everything inside still inside) and Will's baseball cap. Nothing else. No signs of him, and no signs of Zip.

"Hey!" cried Burgundy. Wes nearly flipped in the air as he spun around. Same for Emile. "I found Skipper's Pokéball! And Grunt's, too!"

Wes ran over to her, and began to search through that general area. He grabbed something, pulled it out, and held to up. "Hey, I found CJ's!"

"How do you know?" asked Emile, finally reaching them.

"Will has a small portable label maker her carries with him," said Wes. "He labels his Pokéballs."

"Huh," said Emile, momentarily forgetting their struggle. "Smart. Kinda weird, though."

"Yeah, don't let him hear you say that," said Burgundy with a giggle. "Juno made fun of him for that back in Johto. When she went to sleep, he labeled every exposed part of her body!"

They all sighed, thinking back to the good times. The snapped into reality, realizing there would _be _no more good times if they didn't find him. Just as they were about to get back to work, they heard a great booming crack.

Wes and Burgundy turned, and Emile took a few steps forward, his hand over his eyes like a visor. He peered into the distance, and could faintly see…

"A tower?" Even just as a silhouette in his line of sight, he could see parts of it crumbling. "How much you wanna bet that's Will."

"I'd put my money on that," said Burgundy, jumping to her feet. They gathered their stuff and ran towards the crumbling tower.

…

"We're gonna make it…" I whispered with what breath I could spare. My chest was burning. It felt like a Magmar had grabbed my heart and was twisting on it. Adrenaline and the sleeping Pokémon in my arms were pretty much all that kept me going. Scout had lived her whole life in fear and agony. I couldn't let her down…

I wouldn't let her down!

"It's a good thing I ran three years of Junior Varsity Track," I croaked to myself. I didn't know how the Trapinch/Regirock battle was going; frankly, I didn't care. That dulled survival instinct The Silph Man had told me about was a little off; mine was as sharp as ever.

I dodged and weaved as rocks fell down on the narrow staircase, sometimes rolling off, sometimes taking chunks with them. The entire temple cracked and moaned and roared as rocks and pillars and archways came crashing down.

And then my legs started to give out.

"No!" I shouted, tumbling, and barely keeping up. "Don't give out on me now, legs! Daddy needs you down there!"

I wouldn't let me fail me. I wouldn't let me fail Scout. Or Zip. Or any of those Pokémon waiting for me up there! In fat, "I Will Survive" started playing in my head.

Keep me going, 70's music, keep me going!

I had my eyes on the prize. I was booking it up those stairs. Yeesh, too bad Coach Jones didn't fall into these ancient ruins with me. Maybe he could've given me some bonus points on the gym grade that had suffered throughout my childhood.

"Maker!" cried Zip, flying out ahead of me, and then ramming into my chest, making me stumble back a few inches. A massive rock, probably twice the size of the one that almost crushed me before, came crashing down on the stairs, taking out a twenty foot chunk.

"NO!" I cried. There was no way I'd make that jump. I clenched my fist. Then I'd die trying anyway…

"Maker, I have an idea!" cried Zip, frantically spinning his magnets.

"Zip, I will literally do anything you say right now!"

"Good!" Zip floated out into the middle of the gap. "Gather enough momentum! You know what to do, Maker!"

I took a deep breath, and backed up a few paces. And then I sprinted and leapt. My right foot hit the top of Zip, and I pushed off. I fell on my knees on the other side.

I scrambled up as the stairs behind me crumbled, and then stood and leaned up against the wall to catch my breath quickly.

"Zip!" I cried weakly as he floated up next to me. "I want you to shock me…"

"B-but Maker!" He seemed baffled by the prospect of causing me harm, his stalwart duty to follow my every command colliding with his will to protect me to the death. "I-I could never…it would be-"

"I said shock me, darn it!" I tapped the highest point on my neck, the point where my spine met my cranium. "Shock me, now!"

Reluctantly, Zip, let out a tiny current of electricity at the nape of my neck. I shuddered as the voltage traveled through my body, my focus now sharpened by the pain.

"Let's go!" I charged forward once more, reinvigorated. I audibly growled as I charged up the final stretch of stairs, and into the main foyer of the tower.

What it was remained to be speculated on. Much had crumbled; what I assumed to be pews arrayed in front of a long platform at the end of the path in between the two rows had dilapidated or been crushed by fallen rocks. I turned to the exist, just as two pillars came crashing down in front of it.

"OH, COME ON!" I had come this far, pushed so hard, only to have the door literally slammed in my face!

No! I'd break down that wall myself if I had to!

"Maker!" cried Zip, pointing with his left magnet at a set of stairs winding ever up the tower. "Look!"

By the looks of it, the lead up to the roof. Well, that was better than nothing. I took that option.

…

I reached the top, which was shaking just as much as any other part, if not more. There were wide gaps in up here. Well, it made sense. All of those racks had to have fallen from somewhere…

I ran to the side of the edge of the roof and looked around frantically. The sandstorm still raged, but not as furiously, allowing me to see a few yards ahead, a feat possibly bolstered by my high elevation.

"There's gotta be a ladder or something around here!" I yelled as I frantically searched the outer shell of the tower.

"I am afraid not, Maker," said Zip in a sad tone, his magnets drooping. "At the time this was built, I estimate only wooden ladders existed, and those would have rotted out been blown off by now. Metal ladders-"

"I don't need your fancy-shmancy history right now!" I yelled, admittedly rather wrathfully. I gulped as I realized the only option.

I grabbed Zip under my right arm, again, like a football, and secure Scout under my left. I jumped, hoping that the pile of sand I was aiming for was just that: a large pile of sand, instead of a thin layer atop a rock.

…

Wes, Burgundy, and Emile reached the tower just as it collapsed fully. The covered their faces an backed up, as the whole thing came crashing down, kicking up a great cloud of dust and sand. When it faded, all that remained was a pile of ruins and rubble.

"No…" whispered Burgundy, her expression a mixture of sorrow and disbelief. He couldn't be dead! It's no fair! All he ever did was good things! Why did the good always have to die young…?

Wes fell onto his knees. "We were too late," he mumbled, his face absent of expression. "We didn't get here in time…"

Emile marched over to him, grabbed his collar, and yanked him up forcefully. "Don't talk like that! It wasn't your fault, it wasn't mine, it wasn't _anyone's! _I agree it wasn't fair that Will had to go like that, but you can't go ruining yourself because of it! It won't bring him back!"

"Than what will!?" yelled Wes, angrily.

"Hey, guys." My head popped out of the pile of sand behind them.

"Apparently…yelling like a maniac," said Emile, his gaze fixed n me, almost forgetting his hold on Wes.

I climbed out of the sand pile, and brushed myself off. I checked Scout. She was alright, still unconscious though. Zip rose out of the sand as well, using Gyro Ball to get the dirt off of him.

"Whoof. _That _was pretty crazy! Anyone get something to eat?"

Burgundy marched towards me, shoulders hunched, fists balled up, fire burning in her lilac eyes. Her nostrils flared like an angry Tauros about to charge. She grinded her teeth together, and shoved Emile aside; no obstacle would stand in her way.

I raised a hand to protest (though, whatever I was about to say probably would've been a squeak of terror or a "Burgundy, please don't!) but she got to me first. She shoved me back down into the sand, and planted a foot on my chest.

"WILLIAM HENRY GREY! IF YOU _EVER _DO THAT AGAIN AND GET YOURSELF KILLED, I SWEAR THAT I WILL STRIKE A DEAL WITH DEATH TO BRING YOU BACK SO I CAN KILL-YOU-MY-SEEEEEELF!"

She stood there for a moment, her chest heaving after that episode. My eyes were wide and my mouth was agape with a mixture of fear and respect. I slowly sat up, and she knocked me back down, though this time with a hug.

"Will, you had us so scared," she whimpered, tears of hers wetting my dry cheek. I reached up slowly and patted her on the back. "What happened down there?"

"I'll tell you," I managed to push out. I was weak; I could barely breath, I could no longer feel my legs, Burgundy was crushing me, and I was starving. "But first…food…"

"Can we at least get the gist of what went on?" asked Wes, picking himself up off the ground. "You know, what knocked down an entire ancient complex and almost killed you?"

"I'd rather not talk about the first part while out in open sand," I said with a shiver at the thought of Trapinch. "But some ancient war-golem called Regirock attacked me. Almost killed me. It was pretty cool."

"Regirock, eh?" asked Emile, scratching his chin. "I've heard of that. It's supposed to be able to destroy mountains with a single attack…are we in any danger?"

"No way that thing survived an entire temple slamming down on it. Plus…other things." I didn't wanna say the name. But deep down (aside from my new and morbid fear of Trapinch) I felt safe.

…...

Deep, deep underground, beneath piles and piles of rock and rubble, the corpse of the mighty Regirock lie, one of its arms draped over a fallen pillar, the rest under the rubble. All was still and quiet, save for a few final crumbling rocks, and pebbles clacking as they fell down the mountain of debris.

And then there were two orange flashes from the dots on Regirock's face.

Across the ocean, in a cave deep inside the mountains of Dewford Town, the darkness was illuminated briefly by two yellow flashes. Ice crept up the chains subduing its arms, until they were completely frozen over. In one fluid motion, the polygonal golem flicked its arms, the chains shattering into an uncountable amount of pieces.

Deep in the jungle on Route 120, hidden away under a mound of rocks, the short space of the cavern was lit up by two brief red flashes. The chains began to glow red as they reached superhot temperatures, and simply melted off.

* * *

**And yet another day goes by, and we still don't know the secret identity of Wario Man. You know, he looks a lot like that Yoshi guy...hmmm...**

**Reader Question-e: If you had to hang out with any character from the Pokemon universe, who would you go with? For example, I'd pick Bianca; her personality seems to match mine, and I think we'd have fun!**

**Will, Zip, and Scout have escaped the collapsing temple, and the Regirock it was collapsing around, unharmed! But will they survive the desert they are now stranded in? What challenges face them on the sandy road ahead? And what challenges have awakened far across the lands? All that and more! Stay tuned!**


	29. Chapter 29: The Frying Pan and the Flame

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will, Scout, and Zip found themselves fighting for their lives deep in the bowels on the collapsing Ancient Temple, trying to avoid falling rocks, as well as those being hurled at them by Regirock. When all seemed lost, help came in the most unexpected form: Trapinch. Regircok was attacked and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of Trapinch assaulting it, giving Will and his Pokemon time to escape. Some quick thinking on Zip's part saved them from the crumbling temple, the destruction of which they narrowly avoided. Will was reunited with his friends on the surface, while below him...and from two other corners of Hoenn...something awoke. Will they be able to survive the desert? Find out now!**

"That looks like a good spot…" I said, raising my arm weakly to point at a tall, flat, and wide rock. The ideal (and arguably only) place to set up camp in the desert.

I let my arm flop back down on Emile's side. I was too weak to walk, and so he was giving me a piggyback ride. Burgundy was cradling the still unconscious Scout in her arms, rocking it back and forth. She really had a mommy complex.

We climbed up onto the rock plateau, and I did my best to pitch in as we set up camp. The sandstorm had cleared, revealing a vast desert of rolling dunes, and rocks poking out here and there. We could see that the desert was enveloped in a huge rocky bowl, cliffs rising up on all sides. That was, we knew we weren't being turned around.

Also, it revealed the great, starry sky. I hadn't seen the stars so clearly since that night the summer of graduating Trainer School, when all of my friends and I went star gazing. That was a good night I got to spend with my friends.

My friends.

Amanda!

I facepalmed, knowing that once news of this temple being destroyed reached her ears, and then the fact that I had contributed to its destruction reached her ears, she would murder me with some sort of ancient torture method she unearthed on a dig somewhere. To an archeologist/paleontologist like Amanda, such a wealth of knowledge could have told us so much, and kept her busy for years.

Great, I thought, flopped my arms off of my chest and onto the ground. I survive an ancient war machine, a swarm of Trapinch, and a collapsing temple, ALL IN ONE DAY I might add, only to be murdered by one of my best friends when I returned home.

"We should bundle up," said Emile to my left. I couldn't actually see him, as we were all looking up at the stars. "It gets really cold at night in the desert…"

"Good idea." I leaned up on my elbow and reached for my sleeping bag, when all of a sudden-

"Look!" cried Burgundy, pointing ahead. I squinted my eyes and peered into the darkness. Approaching us from the south was…

"Skarmory!" I yelled in surprise. That thing really did follow us! That winged metal…

"Everyone, get down!" It zoomed right over us, missing completely. As it flew away into the night, I could've sworn I heard it laughing.

"Well, that was close," said Emile, slowly lowering his hand and sitting back up. I heard his feet scuff against the rock as he shot up and ran to the back. "No!"

I turned around as well. All of our tents and camping equipment was gone. We all ran over to the edge, and joined Emile in staring down at the bent pipes and torn tarps that formed out gear. Most of our sleeping bags were down there too, torn and shredded.

"Well," whimpered Burgundy, teetering over to her mat and flopping down onto it. "We survived a sandstorm, Will survived an ancient monster and a falling temple-"

"Don't forget the Trapinch," I added with a shudder. I could've sworn I saw Scout shudder in her sleep as well.

"-and Trapinch…only to be killed by the cold desert night." She groaned, lying down and covering her eyes. "I'm too young to die!" she yelled up at the stars.

Emile got down on one knee where the remaining supplies were. He took inventory too himself, trying to restore what hope we had left, and stood back up. "Well, all of our packs made it. So did two heavy blankets, one small one, and Will's sleeping bag. So, if we-"

"I call Will's sleeping bag!" squeaked Burgundy, shooting to her feet and scampering over to me, removing the bag out from under me. She happily walked back to her spot, and got comfortable. She stopped and looked at us three, all staring at her. "What, I'm the smallest, and I'm a lady. Have _any _of you ever heard of chivalry?"

"I can't really object to that…" said Emile somberly, picking up the blankets again. "But that leaves three blankets total."

"Alright," said Wes, optimistically. "So, one for each of us. Cool."

"No, not cool." By the sound of Emile's voice, there was a problem. I just couldn't figure it out yet. "With a heavy blanket, you'll just have a bit of a chilly night. But there's no way a light one will keep you warm. So two of us are gonna have to man up…or, er…man down, and-"

"_SHARE!?" _Wes and I screamed at the same time. We looked at each other, and then back at Emile, and then back at each other, and then back at Emile.

"Come on, Will," said Emile disappointedly. "You were goin on about your 'survival instinct' the whole way here! Isn't it telling you that this is necessary to stay alive?"

"No! I was being attacked by a giant rock monster, Emile, not discussing which one of us is gonna have to snuggle up with another!"

"And why are you being so controlling of the situation?" demanded Wes. "We haven't even decided who has to do it!"

"Well, I was just thinking you two would, since I'm a bigger guy-"

"Well, if you're a bigger guy, why not take the small one and give us each a big one!" I said, crossing my arms and giving a slight grin. Emile sweatdropped; in fact, this had been the exact point he had hoped I wouldn't bring up.

"Yeah, Emile, why not?" added Burgundy, making it a point to shuffle around in her sleeping bag, getting comfortable.

"D-don't help!" he struggled out. "Listen, we're gonna have to share warmth, so-"

"Did someone say 'share warmth?'" I turned around and screamed, nearly backing up off of the rock. Addison had spooked me more than Regirock and the Trapinch combined.

"Addison…h-how did you get here!? Did you pop out of the sand or something!?"

She didn't answer my question. Instead, she skipped over to me. I tried backing up, but I had reached the edge of the rock.

"I wouldn't mind cuddling with my Billy Boo for the night," she cooed, putting her hand on my shoulder blades and pulling herself close.

"Never…call me that…again," I said through gritted teeth. She pulled herself even closer, the tips of our noses almost touching.

"Okay, pumpkin. I've got plenty of cure pet-names for you." She pecked me on the nose, and skipped over to my mat. "I'll get stuff ready for us!"

Everyone stared and snickered as I trudged over to the place where I would be sleeping-and most likely dying from embarrassment.

"Maker, if you don't mind me saying, the two of you make an adorable couple!" said Zip.

"Actually, I really do mind you saying that, Zip."

"In that case, I shall proceed to never mention it again!" At least someone takes hints…

_It's for survival_, I kept repeating to myself. _Though it might kill me…_

…

I groaned slightly as I woke the next morning, my stiff neck reminding me of its excruciating existence. After trying several positions, none too comfortable on the solid rock, I had set it up against a smaller rock jutting out from our small platform, and I had slept sitting up.

"I had a horrible dream…" I moaned as I licked my dry chops. I felt s hand stroke my cheek, and realized that the nightmare had yet to end.

"It's okay," cooed Addison, who was still cuddled up next to me. I guess the whole "make a wish on a shooting star" thing was a sham: she was still here. I had simply wished for her to leave by morning, instead of the alternative that I had thought up first. But wishing someone be dragged underground by Trapinch was a fate I had experienced firsthand, and it would be cruel to wish upon even my most dastardly of foes.

"You're awake now, sweetie," she said softly, kissing me ear. "You're back in the real world now, with people who love you."

My eyes scanned the sky desperately; Skarmory, if you're out there and still want to kill me, now's your chance!

I mean, seriously, Addison was holding me down tighter than any bonding method known to man. Rangers take note: instead of using rope next time (if you even decide to restrain the bad guys instead of letting them go immediately) hire Addison to develop a crush on the detainee. They'll never escape.

Okay, I admit that was a low blow. But it's also an "I don't want anyone to know I said it" blow, as my sister would probably kill me…

Why does everything have reason to kill me lately! The only thing that hasn't tried to end my life in the past week is the foliage!

…...

"I spoke too soon!" I yelled stumbling back to avoid another death hug from the Cacnea. About a half hour prior to breaking camp, we had been attacked by these things, our first impression being that they were only harmless (if you can call a prickly plant harmless) cacti. If it hadn't been for Addison sneezing and scaring one, we'd probably be Swiss cheese right now.

"Cac!" The Cacnea leapt back and pointed its bowling pin shaped arms at me, the spikes on the end lighting up. Strands of pointed energy shot out like a stream at Grunt, who was currently fighting off three of the prickly little devils.

Grunt jumped through the point where the Pin Missile attacks collided with each other, and launched another Brick Break at the Cacnea's face. It stumbled back, and then fell over unconscious. In a split second, a Trapinch head popped out, nabbed the Cacnea by the crown-shaped flower in its head, and dragged it below.

I hoped that snack held them over until lunch. I tried as best I could to clear my head of their presence, and focused back on the battle.

…

Archie and Shelly on the west cliff of Route 111's desert. It had no official name; it was simply considered a part of Route 111 as a whole. But the natives called it the Desert of Peril, as people, mostly newcomers, had a nasty habit of going in and not returning. Pretty much everything but the rocks had it out for any intruders. That was the whole reason that the Fiery Path was carved through Mount Chimney. It was unpleasant to pass through, yes, but any amount of discomfort is arguably better than death.

Shelly scowled as she looked at the desert. The place's very existence offended her. If this desert was a person, than it would have slapped her in the face or called her fat the first time she ever met it; she hated everything about it, everything in it, and everything it stood for.

"I can't believe a place like this could exist," she spat, not taking her gaze off the seemingly infinite amount of sand. "A place with so little water…the most important substance in the universe. What kind of freak creeches could live here 'thout it?"

Archie let out a chuckle. "We'll see to that soon enough, Shelly dear. In fact, I'll probably bring Kyogre here first. Well, second. After all of those Team Magma scumbags drown…"

He turned to Shelly. "Which reminds me? How's The Machine comin'? It's at least half down by now, right?"

Shelly gulped. She had forgotten all about The Machine! And what she remembered wasn't good. At least, it wouldn't make the boss happy. "W-well, we've had our…eh…issues?"

"Like?" Archie raised an eyebrow. "Listen, darling, I specific..." he stopped, the word he was searching for getting caught up in his lips. "Smesi…saffsisc…I told ya to tell me if there was any problems! So, what're them problems!?"

"W-well…our science team…"

"What about 'em?"

"They aren't very…well…sciency…"

"They shouldn't have to be!" Archie yelled at Shelly, who was now cowering a bit. After hearing his yell echo due to their proximity to the canyon, as well as their elevation, he quieted down a bit. "Stone said he'd give 'Step-By-Step' instructions on how to build it!" Archie winced as he realized something. "Don't you dare tell me they broke anything!"

"We'll…they might've bent one piece…but you know that extra piece that's always left over when you're done buildin' somethin? Well, it was that piece. But, since they didn't wanna risk anythin' else, they stopped."

Archie groaned, and slowly ran his hand down his face. This would be a major hindrance in his plan. He would have to spend extra resources-resources he wished to direct elsewhere-to work around this.

Archie re-composed, and stood straight, once again facing the canyon. "We'll worry 'bout that later. Right now, we've got a place to be. Shelly, call back to base. Tell em I'll find a way to fix this." Archie stood still for a second. "In fact, go yourself and do the best you can to help Sean. Matts and I can handle this."

Shelly nodded, and walked away. Archie stood there, still watching the desert. The Machine needed to be made. And fast. Their plans were accelerating faster than expected now that they had allies. And if this information he had just been passed lead him to a dead end, it would be a major setback.

"This better be worth it," Archie grumbled, apparently to himself. Aria materialized next to him.

"Didn't I tell you it would be? Meteor Falls. Just make sure you get there, and you won't regret it." And just as quickly as she had come, she vanished. Just like Archie, she had more work to do.

…

Skarmory soared over the officially nameless desert, proud and free. True, the humans had no name for it. But he did: Mine. All of the creatures here feared him, and all that came here learned to, or else they became lunch. Including those humans.

Humans were tough, crafty. Most of the time, they'd manage to escape by some low-down trick: pulling out a stronger Pokémon to force Skarmory to back off, running foolishly into sandstorms. Skarmory found great satisfaction when he found the bodies of those Trainers days later.

But still, those four, now five, humans had managed to stay alive in _his _desert for longer than he liked. They had run first into the sandstorm without trying anything else first. That meant they had no strong Pokémon.

That meant they were vulnerable.

Skarmory wouldn't intentionally seek them out, though. Sure, he had destroyed their camping gear last night, but that was just for fun. If he sought them out, he'd look weak. Threatened, even. So instead, he resolved to have a little more fun.

He scanned the desert for a Pokémon to harass. The Baltoy were harder to spot, but they were fun to play with. They'd spin around helplessly in the air when Skarmory dropped them, slowly twirling towards the ground. Skarmory had created several games with them.

The Cacnea were fun to mess with as well. They usually stood very still during the day, stacked on top of each other to appear as a normal cactus, and to avoid the Trapinch. When Skarmory soared down near them, they'd scream and scatter. Sometimes, as an added bonus, some Trapinch would pop up and chase them around for a while. It was good to be king.

After a few minutes of searching, Skarmory saw a small dot of green, easy to spot pinned against nothing but sand. It wasn't a Cacnea; as stated prior, they tended to not move around during the day. What Grass-Type would be dumb enough to wander into the desert?

…

Roselia stumbled weakly through the desert. She felt like she was going to shrivel up and die at any moment. Her tummy grumbled; she was starving. Most of her forest companions would have asked why she didn't just make more sugars if she had complained of this to them.

A necessary component for photosynthesis was sunlight. And she was getting plenty of it. But an overabundance of one requirement did not make up for a lack of any others. And she was running very low on water.

Maybe she should have just waited for Will to come back to Mauville. He would have returned eventually, right?

Roselia sighed. She wanted an adventure; an exciting change of pace, but this was…ugh…

Roselia heard a screech behind her. She slowly looked up, but then her eyes widened and she shrieked as Skarmory bore down on her, giving her no time to escape.

She struggled in vain against the bird's literal iron grip as they ascended higher and higher into the air. They spoke to each other in the language of Pokémon.

"Agh!" choked Roselia, her throat still dry. "Don't eat me!"

"Don't worry, I won't eat you," said Skarmory, cynically, not reassuringly. "I hate the taste of Grass-Type. Plus, something always gets stuck in my teeth. Seeds, bulbs…" He turned to her and flashed his sharp, metal teeth. Literally, the gleamed in the sunlight. "…petals…"

Roselia gasped, her dry throat causing her to choke afterwards. "T-then let me go!"

Skarmory shrieked with laughter. "If you insist!" His talon let Roselia go. Roselia shrieked as she looked down and realized she was descending. Skarmory's talon shot down and grabbed her before she could fall out of range, however. Skarmory roared with laughter.

"Oh, this is going to be a delightful afternoon!"

…

"Hallelujah!" I flopped down on the dry patch of land as we officially exited the desert. I kissed the ground, and crawled forward a bit to reach one of the dry patches of grass that awaited. I grabbed it into my hand and inhaled the aroma.

I got to my feet and faced the desert. "On this day, let it be known that I, William Henry Grey the First, swear to never set foot in a desert again!" I spat in the direction of the sandy Hell, and turned on my heel. "Come on, guys, I wanna get to Fallarbor Town before nightfall."

"That's a pretty ambitious goal, _amigo_," said Emile, checking his map. "It's quite a few miles."

"Well, we don't have our camping equipment!" protested Burgundy.

"What are you complaining about!?" cried Wes, waving his arms. "You got the sleeping bag!"

Addison walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my chest. "Well, just so you guys know, my vote is whatever my sweetums wants."

"Don't-call-me-that!" I said through gritted teeth. She giggled. "You don't like that either? I can think of pl-lenty more!" She happily skipped ahead of us.

I took a deep breath. "That girl…" I clenched and unclenched my fists. "Sometimes she makes me just wanna…I just want to scream-"

"ARRRRRR!"

"I know how you feel," said Wes, leaning up against a tree. All of our eyes widened once we realized that it wasn't me who had made the noise. We all twirled around to see Skarmory on rapid approach. It released something from its talons, which crashed into the top of the fir tree.

"Duck!" I cried. It was irrelevant for the rest, as Skarmory had been aiming for me. But for me still, it was too late. I hit the deck in time to avoid my shoulders being punctured by Skarmory's talons, but not my back being slashed by two of its talons.

I yelled out in pain as I felt a warm blanket of blood slowly creep down my sides from my back. Up ahead of us, Addison flipped around and saw Skarmory flying towards her, my blood on its back talons.

"Will!" she shrieked with all of her might. Her face filled up with fear, but then contorted into a fit of rage. "NO ONE HURTS MY BOYFRIEND!" She grabbed a Pokéball from her belt, gripping it so tightly it almost was crushed. "Salamance, go!"

A great blue dragon Pokémon emerged from the ball, just in time to catch Skarmory's neck in its jaw. The mighty four-legged beast planted its claws into the ground, not moving an inch as Skarmory thrashed its wings and body, in a vain attempt to escape.

Salamance shook Skarmory back and forth like a chew toy, before finally releasing Skarmory. The sudden release had caught Skarmory unprepared, its random movement sending it sprawling onto the ground. Skarmory scrambled up and hopped out of the way, just in time to miss Salamance's giant foot smashing down to where it once was.

Without any hesitation, Skarmory took off, its tail in between its legs. "Salamance, don't let it get away!" cried Addison vengefully. She was shaking and twitching, her face and arms had turned red. Her face was clenched in a mask of hate and bloodlust. I really mattered to her… "Draco Meteor!"

Salamance took a deep breath in, a glowing orange ball forming in its mouth. With a choking motion, the ball was shot out like a cannon. Skarmory reacted just in time for the shot to go wide under its wing, soaring out into space. I sure hoped that didn't hit something. Or someone. That would ruin their day…

Addison sprinted over to where I lay, bleeding on the ground. Emile had already started tending to me. Wes and Burgundy hovered over his shoulder.

"Is he going to be okay?" blurted Addison, her eyes tearing up.

"He'll be fine! He's lost a lot of blood, though! Just back off, give him some space!" I was beginning to feel a bit woozy…My head lowered, and the pebbles and dirt in front of me begin to swirl.

As it flew away, Skarmory could not believe what had just happened. It wasn't worried about the fact that it had almost been ripped to pieces; that overweight salamander had just shamed him! I would spite them if it was the last thing he did.

Skarmory turned around, its panel-like wings flipping to keep it gliding. Its body gleamed from tip to beak, and then launched a brilliant beam of energy: Flash Cannon, right at the injured human.

Salamance roared, catching the attention of Wes and Burgundy. Addison ignored the cries of her own Pokémon, as she was too busy paying attention to Will. Wes and Burgundy saw the incoming blast and panicked.

"Salamance, do something!" cried Wes. But Salamance was too well trained. It required a command from its Trainer, who was currently weeping over my injured body. Speaking of which, was about to be incinerated.

"Camerupt, Flamethrower!"

"Ca-mu!" The was a brilliant explosion of light. Individual sparkles twinkled down from the resulting explosion. Now standing behind our little group, in between us and Skarmory, was an orange ox Pokémon. It had two humps that looked like mini-volcanoes, and had tan rings on its side. Standing on a rock next to it was a girl. She was tall, about my age, with wild magenta hair secured with a blue hair tie. She wore a low cut black T-Shirt with a red flame insignia on it, as well as jeans and sneakers.

The ox Pokémon huffed, smoke coming out of its nostrils. "You wanna try that again, buddy?" asked the girl in a wise-guy tone of voice.

Finally accepting defeat, Skarmory turned and hastened its departure.

The girl leapt off the rock and trotted over to us. "Sorry I couldn't get here sooner," she said, jerking her thumb back at the desert. "Traffic, am I right?" I recognized her voice, as well as her constant joking even in the darkest of situations.

"Hey Flannery," I groaned weakly, before giving up as well and passing out.

**Will Will pull through? How does he know Flannery, and why is she so far from Lavaridge Town? And how did Addison get so strong? Stay tuned to find out!**

**P.S. I'm proud to announce that I managed to get my hands on a Meloetta! Whoopee! 100% completion, here I come!**

**Ahem, anyway, Reader Question: What occupation would you want to hold in the Pokemon World? Trainer, Coordinator, professor, a normal job assisted by Pokemon, anything! I, of course, would be a Trainer. It's my passion. Plus, "Coordinator Naps" isn't as catchy. Though Professor Naps does sound official. Plus it's kinda funny...**

**Addison: Tehehe! Review for my Willy-Bear! *Puts hand on Salamance's Pokeball* Ahem, perhaps I wasn't clear enough...**


	30. Chapter 30: Recovery

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will was faced with one last life-threatening challange before being allowed to leave the desert forever: Addison. The two were forced (well, she enjoyed it) to share a blanket through the cold desert night. The next morning, the group was attacked by a group of Cacnea, which Will would've been infinitely more willing to have cuddled with the previous night. Meanwhile, Archie reflects on the current state of his plans, as well as the mysterious Team Magma, as well as the ever-mysterious Aria, with whom he has some sort of deal. Team Grey makes it out of the desert, but not before facing one last danger. Skarmory, who had been harassing the (and Roselia) for the last couple of days swooped in, wounding Will. In a fit of rage, Addison sends out her Salamance, an ultra-powerful Dragon-Type to ward of Skarmory. Skarmory retreats, but not before letting out one more vengeful Flash Cannon at our hero, who lies helpless on the ground. This blast is interrupted at the last second my none other than Flannery, the Gym Leader of Lavaridge Town, whom Will apparently knows. How does he know her? ANd will he be okay? Find out now!**

I woke to the (sadly) now familiar sound of hospital machines beeping away. I turned to the side as a waking up reflex; the left is where my clock always is, and winced in pain as a flare of pain erupted from my two long scratches on my back.

"Oh, good to see you're awake," said the familiar and friendly chirp of Nurse Joy, heels clacking as she entered the room.

"H-how many-"

"Just two days," she said, leaning over my bed and grinning. "Your friends told me to expect that as the first question you would ask. I suppose now you want to know the gritty details?"

I smiled and closed my eyes. "They know me so well," I groaned sarcastically.

"Well, you'd lost a lot of blood by the time you got here. If your girlfriend hadn't flown you in on her Salamance-"

"Might I interject?" I held up a finger. "She is not my girlfriend. In fact, if you can-" I was about to tell the Nurse to not let her in, but A. That wouldn't stop her, and B. She had done a lot for me. I could pretend (or just put up with not actually) being her boyfriend for a few minutes. "Objection withdrawn. You may continue."

Nurse Joy smirked. "They also told me that you're a little sarcastic and cranky when you're tired."

"Considering that you can literally kill me in a thousand different ways right now, I'm gonna say it's sarcasm."

She smiled again, this time letting out a short laugh. "I wish all of my patients were as cooperative as you sometimes. Anyway, stitching you up would've been easy, but you needed blood. Your blood type, AB-, is very rare, and we had very little stored here."

I had known that pretty much my entire life. I had never sustained an injury more serious than a twisted ankle, but my mom wanted to er on the side of caution. So at several odd intervals in my childhood, I had blood drawn to be stored away at the local hospital, just in case.

I had always looked forward to those trips. The pain was nonexistent, the doctor was nice, and you got a cookie and juice afterward to give your blood some extra sugars.

"We asked around the Center to see if anyone had that blood type. We found a donor, and they were more than willing to help out."

As if on queue, my friends shuffled in and surrounded my bed. Kayla was among them, a bandage around her arm. She smiled and gave a little wave of her hand.

"I woulda done it," said Flannery, resting her hands on the back of her head. "I've saved your life nine times previous by my count. Felt like makin it an even ten."

"Why didn't you then, Ms. Hero?"

"Well, I got a different blood type. Plus, I wasn't really tryin to be that noble. I was really just in it for the cookie."

We all laughed. Nurse Joy checked her clipboard. "Well, you should be OK to go in a few more hours. I'll leave you all alone." She got up and left.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're okay, honey!" screamed Addison, wrapping me in an Ursurang hug. I shot a pleading glance at Flannery, who hauled her off.

"Easy, cowgirl, give the guy some space."

"So, Will…another Gym Leader, huh?" said Wes. "Wanna explain how you know this one?"

"I used to live on Cinnabar Island," said Flannery, saving me the explanation. "My Great-Uncle Blaine used to run the labs and the Gym there before…you know…it exploded.

"Every summer I'd go to Viridian City and take part in their Summer Trainer Program. It prepared younger kids for the world of being a Trainer. That's where I met knucklehead." She flicked me in the forehead. "I mean, seriously? A Skarmory? That's way out of your league, Grey! The Tangela was pushin it!"

Burgundy grunted. "You should see some of the things he drags us into nowadays…"

Flannery had the tendency to laugh out loud at her own jokes as she thought of them, kind of spoiling the surprise, as well as having to fight through her own fits of laughter getting them out. She burst of laughing, doubling over even. "W-what was it..-ahahahaha!-this time *giggle* two-HAhahahahaha!-two Tangelas?"

I couldn't help but let out a short chuckle. Somewhat at the joke, and somewhat at Flannery's inability to tell it. "So, Flannery, what was the real reason for you coming down to this area."

Flannery bit her bottom lip, her amber eyes sinking. "I've been investigating rumors of a strange criminal syndicate operating in Hoenn…" She looked up at the ceiling, as if remembering something. "I heard about what happened in Kanto and Johto with Team Rocket. I do _not _want a repeat of that in my region, ya hear? And I swear it's not cuz I wanna be the hero or anything, I just wanna stop this thing before it starts!"

I swallowed, knowing what she was talking about. "Flannery, we've encountered these guys?"

Her eyes widened. "You have!?"

"Yeah. They're called Team Aqua," explained Wes. "We don't know exactly what they're lookin' for, but they held me, Will, and Will's sister hostage and forced us to translate some sort of…sea chart or map or whatever."

"Caitlin is in Hoenn?" asked Flannery.

"No. Long story short, I have a twin sister. Ask me later."

"Why not now?" she asked, leaning over the side of my bed. "You ain't goin anywhere."

"Just…not now."

Flannery shrugged. All in all, I like her a lot. Like me, she loved to make people laugh and smile, but she knew when it was time to shrug, and could tend to the serious issues when that was required.

"Well, I'll letcha rest," she said holding out her hand for a high-five, which I met. "I'll be around if you get attacked by any more armored death-birds. Seeya!" She waved and left, almost bumping into Nurse Joy, who was carrying something in her arms.

"William, you have a guest who's been very insistent on reaching your room," she said with a smile, opening her arms. Roselia hopped down and onto my bed. "I assume the two of you have met?"

"You are very well informed for a nurse," I said as Roselia made her way across my bed. "No offense."

"Oh, none taken. Well, call me if you need me!" She got up and left once more. At this point, Roselia had been standing on my chest. She looked okay, but she wasn't the vibrant shade of green she had been before.

"Poor Roselia had been attacked by Skarmory," explained Burgundy. "That thing Skarmory air-dropped into the tree was her. She's okay; she didn't really suffer any damage from the fall, or from Skarmory for that matter. She was just super dehydrated."

I grunted and tickled Roselia's chin. She giggled and stumbled back a bit. "You wanted to meet up with me again, didn't you?"

"Ro-rosa!" She shook her red rose hand at me, but then hesitated for a second.

"You got more than you bargained for, didn't you?"

She nodded. "Rose."

"I guess you just wanted a change of pace, right?"

She nodded. She looked kinda sad, though. She had wanted this grand adventure, but had found that my lifestyle had been…well, let's just say it didn't exactly fit her. "Well, you can come with me if you want…but I can kinda tell you'd prefer a little less 'danger' with your order of 'adventure.' Am I right?" She nodded. I smiled and patted her on the head.

"Well, we'll figure somethin' out!"

"Roselia rose!" She jumped excitedly, pumping her roses in the air. I looked up at my friends to start another conversation, but just then, their hungry stomachs started ringing out like the dead were rising.

"You guys wanna go get somethin' to eat?"

"No, no!" said Burgundy, shaking her head. "We can stay!"

"Guys, it's fine! Roselia can keep me company, right?"

Roselia nodded. "Ro-ose!"

"I wouldn't ever dream of leaving your side, sweetheart!" Addison grabbed by head and hugged it close.

"Neither would I, Maker!" Zip floated into the room. I groaned. Great. I'd be stuck with the two people on this Earth who were attached to me with a cord made of piano wire…and Roselia, of course.

"Excuse my absence, Maker, but I was restrained along with your other Pokémon for healing after the threat of the Skarmory attack. I tried to reason with Organic Sarah Chambers comma Assistant Nurse, but she kept harping about 'routine'. In the end, I was forced to paralyze her."

"Zip, you didn't!?"

"Oh, Maker, but I did. Are you displeased by these actions?" His eye-dot and magnets drooped.

"Yes, Zip, we don't shock people!" I quickly realized how that could bite me in the butt later on. "Except for the bad guys. You can shock the bad guys."

"How will I be able to categorize an Organic as 'bad guy'?"

"I'll let you know, Zip."

"Thank you, Maker! I will seek to improve my performance. And besides, don't worry about the nurse. I estimate that feeling and movement will return to her fingers and toes and approximately two hours. The rest should follow over the next three days."

"Great, Zip…I feel so much better…"

…

Rosaline Grey sat in her kitchen, twirling a spoon throughout her fingers as she lost herself in thought. Her husband had left a few days earlier to get to Hoenn, where her son…and her daughter would soon learn the truth.

It had trouble her for years, that day. On January 7th, 2498, she had given birth to two children. Twins. Twins she wasn't supposed to have.

Well, she was only supposed to have one child. Whether that had originally been Will or Juno, she might never know, but after Cassius had done his work, there were two.

Rosaline didn't know much about what her husband had done. He tended to get wrapped up in some project for work, and then be invested for a very long time, yet still finding time for his family. Cassius was a great husband and a great father. And Rosaline was a devoted wife; she trusted him.

That one project had been different. There were time on other projects where he'd stay over at the lab for a few days at a time. There were entire weeks where he'd be gone on that one. And when he returned he seemed…troubled.

And then he had told Rosaline what he had to do. Not exactly; there were many details she had not been filled in on. But she trusted Cassius with her life. He was her other half. She wasn't incomplete without him, she wasn't a weak woman, but without him, she would be very hollow. She had told her that if he did what he had to do, a lot of people would be saved. And she trusted him.

He told her there would be absolutely zero percent risk to the baby once he did his experiment. There was no probing. No chemicals, no slicing, no surgery. Just two nodes attached to her forehead for a few minutes, and that was it.

And then one became two.

When they were born, Cassius told her that for their sake, and for the sake of the people they aimed to save, they'd have to be kept apart for some time. Both of them were heartbroken, but Cassius the most. He felt it was he who was responsible for tearing the two away from each other. Though he was good about almost never letting it show when raising Will and Caitlin.

And it wasn't like he had handed Juno to a horrible life. His colleagues and close personal friends Douglas and Elaine Saphira had been entrusted with the girl, as they were incapable of having a child themselves.

Rosaline had always hoped for-and feared-the day when Will and Juno would find out. She hoped that that day would be one of hers and Cassius's decision. Sadly, fate worked in mysterious ways.

They had found out from Harold Wattson, one of Cassius's partners in the project. A few days later, after Cassius had left, she had been informed that Will had been hospitalized. She feared that Will had tried to hurt himself, and immediately went into blaming herself. It had turned out to be an accident with a rogue Pokémon, but, as a mother, she had still been worried.

She did her best to keep tabs on her only son, but to also give him space. It was healthy to give a young Trainer space to grow. Being a Trainer was a part of growing up. She was one herself, albeit for a short time. And although her battling days were over, and her partners having passed away, she still could feel what it was like.

She remembered the excitement of meeting a new person or Pokémon, the rewarding feeling when one evolved after countless hours of training, and the blood-pumping thrill of a battle.

Just a few months ago, she had received news that her son-her baby boy- had put a warship down into the ocean. Her first reaction-as a mother, of course- had been fear. Wondering the amount of stupid it took to do that sort of thing! But then came relief, being glad her child was okay. And then pride that he had done something so selfless. And then logic; he was okay, and so there was no reason to get worked up.

She never really did when Caitlin did something nowadays. When her eldest daughter had started her journey, she obsessed over every small details. Where are you? Where are you going next? What are you doing? Is anyone with you? Do you feel nervous? Did anyone try to hurt you?

Maybe it was the spectrum of age difference. Once you learn the ropes of the first child, the second becomes easier. She gave Will a lot of wiggle room over the years, and definitely on his journey.

Not because she didn't care. But because she knew what it was like to have a child be a Trainer, and what it was like to be one. Her mother and father hadn't bore down on her when she went on her journey (again, maybe because she was the youngest of three, but beside the point).

Caitlin was an Elite Four member now. It was her job to do dangerous things. Yes, she had super powerful Pokémon and ESP, but still. Will needed to have room to grow, something he couldn't get if she clamped down on him.

She trusted his friends with his safety. Wesley was a responsible young man. She spoke with his mother and grandfather occasionally, as Oak liked to keep tabs on the Trainers whom he set off. He was proud to inform her that he took a great interest in Will's exploits, more so than a lot of the other Trainers that he started off. In fact, the he said he and his lab hands hadn't tracked a Trainer's progress this much since Red.

And Burgundy was a nice girl as well. She wasn't one of those mother's to ask if a female acquaintance was a girlfriend just to embarrass her son. Will had a few female friends over the years, to whom he was just that. A friend. But Rosaline had to fight hard to not ask if Burgundy was dating her Will. The two just seemed suspicious, more so than Amanda or any of the rest.

And most of all, she trusted Will's Pokémon. More so than she would a lot of people. Will was a wonderful young boy who would no doubt form special bonds with his Pokémon. Bonds that could only be broken by-Arceus forbid-death.

Just like the one between her and Cassius.

Rosaline stood and walked out from the kitchen, taking a trip down memory lane as she walked. She passed through the hallway and into the living room, where a bookshelf was to her immediate left. Her whole family loved books, and so this one was stuffed, with several stacks of books in front of it.

But the top only had one book on it. It was so that one book would never get lost. She reached up and grabbed it.

_Plants: The Future of Medicine_

_By Joslyn Goodman_

Re-Written by Cassius Grey

She smiled as she felt the ancient coffee stain blanketing half of the books front-cover. This book had been largely responsible for her and Cassius meeting.

She had been a student in Celadon City State University, and had one day been writing a paper on the practical application and potential use of local plants in poorer areas of the world that couldn't afford medicine.

Her books and papers had been arrayed all around her on the circular table. And she had been studying all through the night. As she shakily rose her hand so that her cup of coffee could reach her lips, a young man carrying a stack of books had bumped into her, spilling the coffee all over her lap, some splashing on her books.

She had shrieked and yelled at the boy for being careless. By this point, he had already apologized a hundred times, and suggested she go to the ladies room to clean herself off. When she had returned, she found the mess of a workspace she had was now neat; arguably, neater than when she had arrived.

All of her dry books and papers had been organized and stacked, and the few wet ones, the boy had been in the process of gathering carefully. He said he could fix this.

Rosaline, at the time, had just thought he was being awkward in the face of a woman he saw as intimidating. But he brought all of her papers over to his private workstation in the library, and used some fancy-shmancy computer thingamabob to re-construct all of her papers and textbooks.

She knew it hadn't been computer magic. It had taken hours to fix, the boy not only using his computers, but all matters of lights and magnifying glasses, pens and ink and presses. She had stood watching him for a while, and had eventually fallen asleep.

When she awoke, she found everything to be in another neat pile, the boy now going about his own work. When she got up, he commented on a few things in her paper, proving that he had somewhat of a knowledge of botany. He offered to help her finish her paper to make up for it, although she thought her had more than made up for it.

She invited him back to her room that day, and, well, the rest is history.

And for the record, Cassius had revealed on their third date that he had faked his knowledge of the Oran Root at what kind of substances it secretes when in contact with warm water just to impress her. The 'work' he had been doing when she woke up that day was research on how to talk to girls, after of course reading her textbooks and notes from cover to cover.

She thought it had been cute.

They grew close, got married, had children, who had now gone out into the world. Will wasn't fully grown up yet, but her had begun is journey into adulthood. She hoped she would see much more of him in the coming years.

She laughed to herself. Her children were unofficially moved out. It was just her and her husband. Did that make her an old lady? She didn't play bridge, or even know how to knit. And she had friends that she would regularly get together with, around work of course. Bu she did get a little lonely from time to time.

She heard a sneeze from outside, and then some rustling. She peeked outside the closest window; her sunflowers were shaking from side to side.

She walked out onto her front porch and peered over the side, smiling at what she saw. A Bulbasaur was nosing through her garden, sniffing her flower and taking the occasional bite out of a plant.

"You know," she said suddenly, startling the Bulbasaur. "I've got some actual Pokémon food inside, if you'd prefer that."

"Sar!" The Bulbasaur smiled, and waddled out of the garden. Rosaline opened the door, and Bulbasaur hopped right it. She followed him in and shut the door.

As a botanist, and a mother, she understood a simple truth. When a plant is finished growing, you simply get a seed and start from scratch.

**So, I've decided that I'm gonna get Y Version, cuz I like the dragon-dude a little better than the deer. It kinda reminds me alot of Dialga. Plus, whenever a friend asks me what version I plan on getting, I'm gonna try and mutter so they barely hear me, and go "Y?" for clarification, and I can go "Why not?" **

**Yes, I pun whenever I can. Not just when I'm writing.**

**Also, I got the Pokedex 3D Pro yesterday, and it's really cool. It has a little quiz feature, plus a whole Pokedex, instead of just the Unova one. And it's all filled up save for a few Legendaries. As an added bonus, it says the Pokemon's name in Ash's Pokedex voice. If only I could get it to sound like Dex...my only gripe being that it doesn't read the whole entry (if it does and I'm just being silly, lemmie know!)**

**Also also, I just got the new Mystery Dungeon game. I haven't played any yet, save for the demo, which had an awesome system. I get to pick up from right where my demo left off, which is ARSOME! Props to Nintendo for that! In fact, the guy who thought of that needs a high-five from Miyamoto. I just hope I can speed up the text in the full version...ugh...And I'm gonna hold off my first impression for a while, so hang on tight for that.**

**Anyway, Reader Question: The new Pokemon movie has been announced. We don't have a non-Japanese title, but translated it is "Extreme-Speed Genesect: Mewtwo Awakens!" Yes, Mewtwo is BACK, baby! The question is, who will you root for? Mewtwo or Genesect? MEWTWO ALL THE WAY! Ahem...anyway...**

**Will is on the path to recovery, and his mother has found a new friend to keep her company. What will Will do to occupy himself while his wounds heal in Fallarbor Town? And will Rosaline be able to find the Pokemon food for Bulbasaur? FInd all that (maybe not the second part) and more next time! Stay tuned!**


	31. Chapter 31: Far From Home

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will awoke in the Fallarbor Town Pokemon Center, alive but injured, with a great many stitches in his back from the scratches given to him by Skarmory. After meeting a very well informed Nurse Joy, Will reunites with his friends, two of which he hadn't seen in a very long time. The first being Kayla, who had happened to be in town, and had even donated blood when Will had been in desperate need of the rare blood type after losing a lot to Skarmory. The second being Flannery, a childhood friend who was now the Gym Leader of Lavaridge Town, and was out investigating the odd goings-on in Hoenn. After a short chat, Will tells his friends, who were too devoted to leave his side, to go get something to eat, leaving him to rest with Addison, Zip, and Roselia. Meanwhile, back in Viridian City, Will's mother Rosaline reflects on the current state of events in her son's life, as well as his current revelation of Juno being his sister. She later meets a new friend in her garden, a Bulbasaur, and invites him inside for a snack. What will happen to Will next? And will Rosaline find the Pokemon food? Find out now! (maybe not the food part).**

I staggered out into the Pokémon Center lobby, Addison's arm draped around my shoulder, and Roselia and Zip tagging along. I didn't mind the support, but I probably would've taken someone else help. Literally. A stranger could have walked up and offered to help me, and I'd have obliged.

"Are you okay?" she asked, legitimate concern in her voice, instead of the obsessiveness I had accepted as the norm. "Do you wanna rest, sugarplum?"

"No," I grunted, staggering on. I'll admit, it did hurt, but I didn't want to give up. My grandmother always said, "If you give up when it hurts, it'll just keep hurting." My grandmother was a very wise woman. I lot of people sought out her advice.

"Maker, Organic Addison Altune comma Ace Trainer is correct. You should rest for a moment, lest you risk re-opening your wounds."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I should…" I stopped mid-sentence, processing what Zip had just said. "Did you say 'Ace Trainer'?"

Ace Trainers were elite. Like, they were the best of the best. There were no set in stone qualifications you needed to meet to become and Ace; instead, scouts would nominate Trainers that they picked as worthy candidates. Being and Ace was one of the things I aspired to be.

"Wow…Addison, that's awesome! How did you become an Ace? What other Pokémon do you have besides Salamance? How many Leagues have you won?" I began shooting off these rapid fire questions for a few more seconds before Addison giggled and pinched my lips shut, my brain not getting the message, and trying to produce words for a few seconds after she had shut me mouth.

"We'll talk about it later, sweetums." She helped my down to the couch, and then leaned over and gave me a big, fat, wet kiss on the cheek. As soon as she pulled back, I made a face and wiped off the moisture with my shirt, as if I was five and my mom had just done it in front of my friends.

"I'll be right back, honey." She poked my playfully on the nose, and then skipped away. Zip and I turned to watch her blissfully exit the Pokémon Center. Roselia hopped up onto the couch and tried to peer over the back to watch, but was unfortunately too short.

After a few seconds of awkwardly watching her go, Zip turned to me. "Maker, I am a memory unit, not a wireless reception or analytics unit, but I believe that you are currently sending out mixed signals."

Once again, I took a moment to process what he had said. "You know, Zip, that was actually a pretty good one."

"Oh, thank you, Maker! Praise from you is-"

"-high praise indeed," Roselia and I finished at the same time. Though, in her case, it was "Ro-rosel-lia."

I heard a light sigh, and then felt a person sitting down close to me. "Mind if I hang out here? I'm still a little woozy."

A turned to see Kayla, kicking her feet up next to mine, and stretching her arms behind her head. I could see the large bandage still wrapped around her right arm, towards the shoulder.

"I'm really grateful for what you did, Kayla," I said to my friend. "If there's any way I can-"

She held up a hand. "Let's not forget what you did for me. In my opinion, I still owe you."

I chuckled. "Kayla, you allowed your veins to be cut open and drained of blood for my sake. We're even, if not I owe you."

"Listen, we're both tired. You gonna argue, or we just gonna hang out?"

I sighed, admitting defeat. "Alright. I'm still a little off from the pain medications they've been giving me, and you're a little short on blood because I'm using it. Wanna just watch TV?"

"Sure."

I reached over and picked up the remote, and pointed it at the TV in front of us. I started flipping through the channels.

"I find myself lost in the middle of the wild and untamed Pinwheel Forest." I recognized the foreign accent.

"Wanna watch Ursurang Grills?" I asked Kayla

"Nah. Too much…you know."

Her point was proved in a second. "As I'm low on water, I'll have to drink my own-"I changed the channel again. There didn't seem to be a lot on today.

"Elementary, my dear-"

"-Time, come on grab your friends,-"

"Gengar, I know we are in the same Egg Group, but…but I simply can't love you!"

"-live from Mossdeep City!" Kayla excitedly tapped my shoulder.

"Oh! Keep it on this one! It's a Contest, I wanna watch!"

I put down the remote as we watched coverage of the Mossdeep City Pokémon Contest. We had turned it on right at the beginning, as the Coordinators were in the round where they would show off their Pokémon's moves.

Both Kayla and I were watching intently, both of us taking notes. Kayla for strategies on what she could use, and as well as what she would have to look out for from those advancing. Me, for a different reason.

"Huh…" I said as I watched a Coordinator order their Spheal to create a vortex of water around it like a fountain, which could potentially block incoming attacks. "I wonder if I could get Skipper to do that…"

"Shhhh!" Kayla slapped my shoulder. "I wanna hear the judges!"

I sunk back in my seat. This was like watching TV with my mom and my sister when they used to watch Kanto Idol or some other reality show or soap opera I'd have to suffer through while being stuck in the living room.

"And with our final 16 advancing to the next round, we now break for commercials!"

"Rosa!" Roselia hopped up on my lap, pointing excitedly at the TV, and then hugging her rose hands close to her chest.

"You want a Gulpin Vacuum Cleaner?" I asked Roselia, thinking she meant the commercial that was currently airing. "I mean, if I call now I get a free Mareep duster, but-"

"Rosa!" she snapped. She pointed at Kayla now. "Roselia rosa!"

I smiled, understanding what she meant. "What?" asked Kayla. "Does she not want the vacuum?"

"No. Let me explain." I told her the story of Emile finding her near Mauville City, and then her following us all the way here.

"She just wants a change of pace, so she thought that I'd be a good match for a journey for her. Well, after the whole Skarmory thing…I don't think she wants to sign on anymore. But, she still wants to get out and see the world, but she doesn't want to be a Trainer's Pokémon." I grinned and nudged Kayla. "Sound familiar?"

She cocked her head and stuck out her tongue. "Will, do you even have to ask?"

She got up off of the couch, and knelt down in front of Roselia, getting at about eye-level. "Roselia, I'd love it if you came with me for all of my contests in the future. Whaddya say?"

"Rosa!" Roselia jumped up and down gleefully. She looked over at me, eyes sparkling, and leapt up onto my chest, giving me a little Roselia-hug. That was a welcome change, as most hugs I received these days crushed me."

Kayla reached into her pockets and took out an empty Pokéball. "Ready, Roselia?"

"Rosa!" Kayla tapped the center of the ball with her finger, and a beam of red light shot out, enveloped Roselia, and then retreated back into the ball. The ball beeped three times, before pinging a fourth, signaling Roselia's capture.

"Thanks for doing that," I said as Kayla sat back down next to me.

"Oh, it was really no problem! It's great to have a willing Pokémon who wants to commit and have fun doing these things. Plus, I love Grass-Types, so it's really an added bonus."

"Well, that's nice."

I checked the time. 12:30. It should be nice out. I groaned as I got to my feet, my injuries still fresh.

"I think I should go for a walk. Get some fresh air. I've been in here for almost three days…"

"Okay," chirped Kayla, sending Roselia back out to see me off. "You sure you don't want me to come with?"

"Oh, no, it's fine! I have Zip and the rest of my team." I turned and began to hobble to the door.

…

Emile made this a priority. He would do nothing today until this was done. He stood in the soot-covered grass of Route 113, gathering soot in a jar. Well, two jars.

The card that Granny had given him gave him an exact amount, but what if she needed more? Therefore, he filled up an entire jar, instead of just a quarter of the jar as recommended.

But still, all of Emile's ingredients were gathered with the utmost caution.

"What if having too much messes with the quality?" his mind fretted, possibly needlessly. But he would take no chances. And so he filled up a jar with the exact amount, just in case.

And yes, he had the _exact _exact amount. He even bought a jar with the scale on the side so you could see.

Jars safely secure in his back, he prepared to return to Fallarbor Town. Just as he went though, he heard what sounded like a roar echoing through the canyons. After that, all was silent. He turned around, scanning the soot-filled air, but could find nothing. Satisfied that he was alone, he turned and began his short trip back.

But the roar sounded again, this time louder. He turned just in time to see Skarmory's silver claws rip through the air. He ducked just in time for them to miss by a centimeter. Skarmory soured in an arc and turned back around, flying towards Emile once again.

"ARRRRRRA!" _Guess whose back!_

…

If you interpreted it the right way, Fallarbor Town was an appropriate name. This had once been a dense forested region of Hoenn. But that wasn't all that made it special. It was the only place on Earth where darkoak trees grew.

As this place had a very close proximity to Mt. Chimney, ash and soot often rained down around here and the other surrounding areas, but mostly here, as the mountain winds blew it in this direction.

The mighty oak trees in this area struggled to survive, but over the years, managed to adapt and evolve enough so that soot polluted their soil not. As a result, their leaves turned from green to greyish-white, and their trunks dark black.

Settlers discovered that not only was this exceptionally strong wood, but that the leaves, bark, roots, and wood itself were excellent fuel for burning. And so Fallarbor Town was founded in the fall of 2208.

Fallarbor Town survived and thrived for a very long time, becoming a great provider of wood for things such as ships, as oversee exploration and colonization had hit its height in these times. That logging company had been founded by a man named Jebidiah Devon. It had been called The Devon Company. But eventually, the wanton cutting down of trees caused the darkoaks to begin to disappear, and their surrounding habitat with it.

Without their roots occupying the ground, the soil became infertile, and crops could no longer be grown or supported. The indigenous Pokémon either migrated down to Route 114, or became extinct. The townsfolk realized this, but were too late. They attempted to bring back the darkoaks by planting more seeds.

And this would have worked, too, if Mt. Chimney hadn't had its largest eruption in centuries. Ash choked the skies for months, shielding the area from sunlight. Any hope of the darkoaks returning had washed away.

And The Devon Company, now without a main source of income, moved to the ever growing Rustboro City, where they would later use their saw mill design to go on and create the Devon Electric Power Mill, and start the infamous rivalry between it and Silph Co., which at the time had been called The Silph Company.

Fallarbor Town was then essentially a town with a date set. It would've died completely if not for another boom: archaeology. The rocky areas surrounding Fallarbor Town proved to be rich in fossils. Amanda would love this place.

Normally, I would take a deep breath and admire the scenery, but, since it was nothing but bleak hills and air filled with ash, I just resolved to go for a walk.

"Maker, if you look to your left, you will be able to identify Organic Flannery comma Gym Leader. She appears to be in the presence of a Pokémon."

I walked over to her. Zip was right; she was kneeling down in front of a Pokémon of some sort. I couldn't yet get a good look at it.

"What are you doin' all the way out here, buddy?" asked Flannery in a friendly tone.

"Guma!" croaked the Pokémon, which I could now see clearly as I peeked over her shoulder. It looked to be a blob of…lava, with large eyes and eyebrows of flamer. Two strands of lava hung down from its face. I took out Dex.

_Slugma_

_The Lava Pokémon_

_Its body is made of magma. If it doesn't keep moving, its body will cool and harden._

"What's up?" I asked, Flannery looking a bit startled.

"Oh, Will. Didn't see you there. I was patrolling around town when I found this little guy." She turned so that Slugma could see me. 'Slugma, this is my friend, Will. He's a Pokémon Trainer."

"Muh," he sighed, a little uncaringly. His eyes seemed a bit lazy and tired, as if he hadn't gotten enough sleep, or simply didn't care.

"So…what's-"

"Oh, sorry. What is up is that Slugma is a little lost, and I'm trying to figure out why."

"Muh-guma!" Slugma spat a little bit excitedly, and then calmed back down.

"How far from home is he?" I asked.

"As your Pokédex failed to explain adequately, I shall fill in any gaps you may have, Maker!" said Zip.

_Ah, bite my shiny metal-_

"Ahem!" I cleared my throat. "Continue, Zip." I heard Dex grumble.

"As he did say, though, Slugma need to move constantly, else they solidify. In areas such as Mt. Chimney, the warm climate allows them to be able to sleep without freezing up as such. But why a Slugma would come so far where they would freeze in their sleep is the puzzling part…"

"Things just keep getting worse," said Flannery grimly as she got up off of her knees and brushed her pants off. "First mysterious Pokémon start appearing, then the cable car gets shut down for no reason, and now Slugma are all over the place. What's going on…?"

"Will!"

We turned to see Emile, booking it down the road towards us. And who would be inspiring as much fear in someone in these parts other than Skarmory.

"This guy again!" I shouted, getting ready to fight. My injuries seemed to resonate with pain as the one responsible closed in. Which made me remember how ineffective my Pokémon were against Skarmory.

"Flannery, you got my back?"

Flannery chuckled weakly and rubbed the back of her head. "Ehehehe…about that…my Pokémon are back at the…Pokémon Center…"

I shivered. The situation just kept getting worse. No Fire-Types, Addison and her Pokémon were off in Who-Knows-Where, and I couldn't avoid this thing at full strength, let alone with fresh stitches in my back.

Emile reached us and flipped around, his Styler finding its way into his hand before he finished turning. Its blue blade flicked out, and the little…spinney…doohickey…the thing that goes around the Pokémon! That popped out too!

"Capture o-" Skarmory shrieked, and wrathfully tore it out of the air, taking Emile out of the fight before it had even began. Skarmory talons stabbed the Earth as it made impact: crashing into the ground like it did was no "landing."

It stretched its neck forward, and let out a bloodcurdling scream, which sounded like an enormous metal construct being twisted and torn apart. It opened its wings, sharp fans of death ready to chop us to pieces. A mighty gale was unleashed from this action alone, sending a cloud of dust at Emile, Flannery, Slugma and I.

It was do or die time. Emphasis on 'die'.

**Ruh roh, Rugma! **

**Sorry this one was a little shorter, guys. I re-wrote this chapter several times. Draft 1 was...well, lets say I cut it and decided to reveal a few things later on. Draft 2 was super long, so I split it up the middle. I may or may not release that today as well. I am in a super good mood though. Partly because Gates to Infinity is SO ARSOME!**

**Okay, no spoilers on account that I got a few requests not to do an initial thoughts just yet, but I"ll just give some feelings. The last two games were tear jerkers, ad considering I've already teared up a few times already, I had better have a box of tissues at hand when the game ends. This game is so deep! I honestly thought I'd be let down a little from the other games, but I LOVE THIS GAME SO MUCH!**

**All I'm gonna say for now, I promise! But one more thing. Actually two:**

**1. If you are a little skeptical about buying, three words: NO MORE HUNGER!**

**2. V-WHEEEEEEEL! (It'll make sense. Trust me).**

**I named my Team the B Force, as "Snivy Force Fivey" didn't fit, and A Team was already taken...curse you Mr. T...so the B Force was born. I was gonna call it "Team Grey" but no matter what, there's a "the" when people talk about it, so it would be referred to as "the Team Grey" which didn't sound good to me.**

**Anyway, Reader Question time! If you were to live out the events of any of the Mystery Dungeon games (new one included) which one would it be, what Pokemon would you be, and who would your partner be. I would be a Squirtle (obvious) and my partner would be a Turtwig (my second fav starter) I'd be in Explorers of Sky. One of my favorite stories of all time...sniffle...**

**Flannery: Review! Or else Will and I will both create horrible puns...at the same time...**


	32. Chapter 32: Revenge!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will spent some time hanging out with Kayla, who had happened to not only be in Fallarbor Town when he arrived, but also be his exact blood type, donating some to him. The two watched a Pokemon Contest on TV, and saw that the prospect excited Roselia, who currently did not know what she wanted to do, only that she wanted an adventure. Roselia requested to accompany Kayla, who graciously accepted her new partner. Later, Will goes out for a walk and meets back up with Flannery, who is fretting over a lost Slugma. This doesn't last, as Emile is chased back to them by none other than Skarmory, who has one thing on his mind: revenge. What will happen next? And did Rosaline find the food. FInd out all this(except for the food) and more now!**

* * *

"Here comes the airplane!" cooed Burgundy, as she twisted the spoon filled with Pokémon baby food around Togepi's head. The rest of Burgundy and Wes's Pokémon were a tad annoyed by this, but Togepi seemed to be eating it up. Not the food, however. Burgundy seemed to drag out every flight to its longest possible air-time.

Wes sat across from her at the small circular table, in the back area of the café where they had gotten lunch. Keyword: _gotten_. Wes, the Pokémon, and Burgundy herself had finished at least 15 minutes ago. Yet she insisted on babying Togepi. Wes sat, head in his hands, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Burg, you don't have to baby her. Togepi is fully capable of feeding herself."

Burgundy shot him a look, which immediately faded to the "Silly Mommy" look she was putting on for Togepi. "Don't listen to Uncle Wes. No no! No, we're not gonna, are we."

"Toke!" Togepi shrieked and clapped her hands, giving the plane a green light to enter the hangar. Togepi happily swallowed her food, filling her belly once and for all.

"There!" Said Burgundy, opening her backpack and putting away the baby food. "Was that so hard? Was it really that hard to wait like ten more minutes."

"Seventeen," said Wes blandly as he checked his watch. "But who's counting?"

"What's the big deal?"

"I wanted to train with Slakoth today!"

Burgundy leaned over, and saw Slakoth behind Wes, laying on its back and staring up at the ceiling. His face looked like his greatest pleasures were currently being fulfilled.

"Yeah, he looks so pumped."

"Hey, it's my job as Trainer to motivate my Pokémon," he said gallantly. "He just needs a little…well, just a little…"

Burgundy grinned, and cocked her head to the side. Oh, the joy of watching men struggle. "A little-?" she said, stretching the word out with her tongue.

"You know…a little BANG!" He raised his hands above his head and stretched them out. Just then, the café was rocked by an explosion from the outside. Several townsfolk ran down past the window of the diner, screaming.

Burgundy looked back at Slakoth. "Nothin."

"That's not what I meant!" yelled Wes, quickly strapping on his backpack, and returning all of his Pokémon to their Pokéballs. "C'mon! We've gotta go see what that was!"

"How much you wanna bet Will has something to do with this?" asked Burgundy, gathering her things and returning her Pokémon with the same haste.

"Well…"Wes stopped, titling his head towards the ceiling and tapping his chin. "You've already bought me lunch…"

The connaisseuse rolled her eyes and grabbed Wes's arm. "Come on!"

…

"Did you see that!?" cried Flannery, her voice going hoarse as we backed up further. "It just slapped that car like an abused spouse!"

My fist clenched. Last time, I had been full willing to give this joker what-for. And he had still nearly killed me. This time, we were backed up against the wall. No Camerupt or Salamance to save us this time…

"You know, my grandma used to have a saying, 'When cornered, a Rattata's claws come out.'"

"I've got one too!" cried the Gym Leader. "I don't wanna die!"

"Relax!" I waved my hands in a downward motion. "We just have to compose ourselves and-"

"ARRRRRARGH!" screeched Skarmory.

I turned around to face it. "Do you mind!?" I turned back to Flannery. "-and we'll find a way."

The girl took a few deep breaths, and then Flannery came back. She smiled and winked. "Sorry! Almost lost it there!" She grinned and scratched the back of her head. "Anywho, how am I gonna save you this time, Grey?"

"Well, considering you don't have any Pokémon…I fight and you cheer me on?" I suggested to Flannery, taking out a Pokéball. She shrugged.

"I'm no cheerleader, so my chants might not be as good."

I nodded. "Grunt, let's go!" I hurled the Pokéball, and my stalwart Makuhita appeared as a buffer between Skarmory and the rest of us.

"An excellent choice, Maker!" said Zip, hovering over my shoulder. "As Grunt is a Fighting-Type, it will proved the best advantage out of all of your Pokémon. But be warned, it is weak to Flying-Types attacks."

"Thanks, Zip," I said, legitimately appreciative of the Magnemite's advice. I turned my attention back to Grunt. "Grunt! This one's for keeps, got it!"

"Makua!" He flexed his arms up and roared. He then entered his fighting stance, dukes up, shuffling his feet.

"Alright, Bulk Up!" We were gonna need all the power we could get. Grunt glowed orange, and flexed his muscles. He seemed to become broader and more toned once the light faded.

Skarmory roared its neck and screeched again, and took off towards Grunt. Its wing glowed white, leaving a vapor trail behind it. It was going for a Wing Attack, and looking for that double damage.

"Grunt, once it gets near you, give it your best Brick Break! Make it personal!" I issued my personal 'punch it in the face command' and Grunt knew what I meant. It hunkered down, waiting for Skarmory.

Who was caught off guard.

Skarmory let up a little, confused. No Pokémon had ever stood their ground when it was charging. All of its prey always screamed and ran in terror. Well, except for that Salamance…and that Camerupt…

But they were enormous! Powerful! This thing was fat and puny. Weak! How could it possibly-

"GWAH!" Skarmory squawked and fluttered back. Grunt had delivered a punch right at into Skarmory's metal jaw. And it hurt!

Skarmory recognized his mistake, and swore to never make it again. He had been careless. Yes, whenever he had been on the hunt before, it was for leisure, and he allowed himself to sometimes get lost in thought when toying with a Baltoy in midair, or swooping down on terrified Cacnea.

It donned on him: these Pokémon weren't wild! It had nothing to do with strength. It was the pure fact that a Trainer was pulling the strings. Which meant Skarmory was still the strongest alive…

Skarmory screeched and dove again with another Wing Attack. It had renewed resolve, as if it knew exactly what it would do this time.

And I didn't. It had picked up on my first trick. Think, think! I need a new strategy…

"I've got it! Grunt, do a Vital Throw! Use its neck!" When Skarmory used Wing Attack, it didn't trust its wing forward! It didn't spin, it didn't slap it! It flew all the way by, its entire body passing before and after the wing. And what came first…its long neck, of course.

The giant metal bird grew closer, and Grunt once again readied himself. Skarmory was dumbfounded by the fact that the pudgy Fighting-Type wasn't cowering now, yet still holding firm. Fool.

Just as Skarmory was about to let loose a triumphant shriek, it choked. Grunt had grabbed him around the throat, brought him up, and then slammed Skarmory down behind him.

"Yeah! Go Will and Grunt!" encourage the magenta-headed Gym Leader, jumping and pumping her fist into the air. Slugma too cheered, though is blob of a body didn't allow him to jump up.

But Skarmory would have the last laugh. As Grunt turned to meet his opponent again, Skarmory twirled around, smacking him with a Wing Attack. Grunt rolled into a rock many yards away. He slumped down, and then struggled to his feet.

My body tensed. Grunt had put all of his energy into those two attacks, and had barely done anything but phase Skarmory. But with one attack, Grunt was basically on his knees.

I needed a new plan. A good one.

I turned around suddenly. "Slugma!" Slugma jumped (well…he was startled) and cocked his head back as if to say, "Who, me?"

"Slugma, I need your help to beat Skarmory!"

Slugma shook his head back and forth. He hadn't fought since…well…he hadn't fought in a long time! How could a washout like him take down the Terror of the Valley of Peril?

He looked up at Flannery, who grinned reassuringly at him. "C'mon, Slugma! Do your nest proud!"

Slugma thought of his displaced relatives, cold, looking for a home. If this bird got out, make theirs and all of Mt. Chimney's previous residents lives a terrible. Slugma held his head high and slithered to my feet. If he had arms, they'd be held out at his side, showing off his muscles.

"Guma!" _I'm ready when you are, Trainer Guy!_

I got down on one knee and pointed to Grunt. "Get over to him ASAP, got that?"

Slugma nodded, and slithered out to the wounded Grunt. I looked nervously up at the sky. Skarmory was circling around, preparing for another attack. I just hoped I'd have enough time…

"Guma!" exclaimed Slugma as he reached Grunt. Grunt slowly looked up, and then over to me…I needed him…and so he got to his feet.

"Kua…"he managed.

"Grunt, I want you to pick up Slugma-"

"Wait!" Flannery ran over to me and put her hands on my shoulder. "Slugma's ability is Flame Body! He'll burn Grunt!"

I nodded and shook her off. "Trust me! Grunt, pick up Slugma and throw him at Skarmory!" Speaking of the devil, he was coming back, with fire in his eyes and murder on his mind. He was ready to kill those who shamed him before.

Grunt pick up Slugma in one hand, and to Flannery's surprise, ignored the pain as he readied his arm. She snapped her fingers. "That's right! Makuhita have the ability Thick Fat! Fire and ice are virtually ineffective against them!"

"Watch out for that," I said with a wink, before turning back to the battle. Steady…steady…"Now!"

Makuhita brought his arm back, and hurled Slugma like a football pass. Slugma hit Skarmory, and stuck to its thick chassis with a _THWAK!_

Skarmory shrieked and broke off its intercept course, frantically flying in circles. Slugma's Flame Body hadn't worked on Grunt, but on Skarmory it was fully functional. A sizzling sound like when putting burgers on a grill hissed from beneath Slugma.

Slugma slowly slithered forward, distributing the pain from Skarmory's back up to its shoulder, and then it began to crawl up its neck.

Skarmory tried desperately to throw off its passenger, it flipped around, spun in circles, flew upside down. But the Lava Pokémon would not be shaken off.

Slugma reached the top of Skarmory's head. Skarmory felt like he was wearing the sun as a hat. His upper body burned, and his wings were growing weak. Slugma poked its head down so that Skarmory could see it upside down.

"Slugma," it said calmly. _Sup._

Skarmory simply growled. I smiled, almost laughing. Time to take it on home… "Slugma, Flamethrower! Make-it-personal!"

Slugma leaned back, and then spewed a stream of fire at point-blank range into Skarmory's face. And that was it. His wings buckled, and he came crashing to the ground, his metal body creaking and groaning as he came to a rest on the ground.

Flannery and I jogged over, a cloud of dust greeting us. Slugma hopped off, completely unharmed, and slithered over to me.

We stared down at the sad shape of Skarmory. His wings flickered, trying to get up, but that was all he could manage. He looked up at me hatefully, and simply gurgled.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out a Great Ball. I got down on one knee in front of the once great Skarmory. "You know, that tough guy attitude…"I stopped, shaking my head and 'tisk tisk tisk'ing. "It doesn't _fly _anymore!"

I tapped it with the Great Ball. It put up no struggle as the red light enveloped it, and then disappeared back into the ball. It shook once, twice, a third time, and then pinged.

Flannery stared down at the small crater, pondering what we had just did, but then broke out laughing. "_Doesn't fly! _AHAHAHAHAHA!" She held her stomach and doubled over. "I gotta tell that one to Wattson!"

I chuckled a bit myself, too, before turning to Slugma. It looked up at me, happily and expectantly. "You know, you and I make a pretty good team, Slugma."

"Sloog!" he agreed. I took out a Pokéball.

"Wanna come with?" He nodded his head happily. Together, they had tamed the creature that had been terrorizing the area around his home for decades. What _couldn't _they do?

I gave Slugma a home in his own Pokéball as well. I stared at the Great Ball and Pokéball, one in each hand, as a great sense of accomplishment washed over me. "Two Pokémon in one day…that's a new record! Of course, they'll need names…" I compressed them to their smaller sizes, and clipped them to my belt.

But only one. I had exceeded my party limit of six. I decided that I'd send Skarmory back to Professor Oak later.

I winced at the thought. I hope Oak could handle Skarmory's attitude…

I sighed, realizing that Moltres would keep him in line.

I looked over at Flannery. "Well, I just saved our lives. You owe me."

"Ha!" She walked past me, patting me on the head. "Nine more times. _Then _I'll owe you!"

"How about lunch?" I asked my old friend as she stopped and turned back around. "I'm getting' kinda-"

"Hungry? Great!" Addison popped up out of nowhere and grabbed my wrist. "I made you lunch, sweetie-poo! C'mon!"

As she took me hostage to lunch, I quickly whipped out Grunt's Pokéball and took the poor guy back, giving him some rest.

"W-wait, Addison! Help!" I turned to Flannery, pure fear taking my face. She simply laughed and waved as Addison dragged me away, down the blackish-brown dirt road.

She heard breathing and the crunch of rocks and dirt under shoes, and so Flannery turned. Wes and Burgundy had just run up behind her, and from the looks of it, they had run the whole way.

Burgundy surveyed the scene. Claw marks on the ground. Several small craters. A few fires. "Will?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Flannery nodded.

"Will. That Addison chick dragged him off towards Route 114."

"Oh, in that case, wanna go watch TV?"

"Sure." The threesome walked back to the Pokémon Center, completely ignoring the fact that Addison was dragging me to some undisclosed location. Some friends, right?

…

"And, oooopen your eyes!"

"Addison, my eyes were open the whole time."

She plopped me down on the red and white checkered picnic blanket, before dashing around to the other side, and plopping down cross legged. "I still want it to be a surprise, silly!"

She reached into the picnic basket, and began to bring out what was inside. Some condiments, napkins, some soda, and a small but carefully wrapped package. She handed it to me.

I slowly unwrapped the soft package. Inside was-

"A ham and cheese sandwich with olives, pickles, and mayonnaise. My favorite sandwich." I leaned in to take a bite, but then stopped. "Wait a second, how did you-"

She smiled and giggled. "It's a girlfriend's job to know what her boyfriend's favorite stuff is!"

I sighed, putting the sandwich down. I mean, I was still gonna eat it later. There's no sense in wasting food. But I needed to let her down easy…

"Addison, I'm not your boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, lover, fiancé, whichever way you wanna dice it." She bit into her own sandwich. I sweatdropped when she said fiancé. Okay, she really liked to plan ahead…The whole 'letting her down easy' thing is pretty hard when she's hanging on for dear life.

"And I understand if you're not ready to commit," she continued. "A Trainer needs freedom, you know? Room to grow. You just have cold feet, that's all."

Great. Now she's telling me what I'm feeling, like I don't know. It's like we're actually married *rimshot*.

Anyway, she went on by telling me that I'm afraid of commitment in different ways with different phrases. "-and you just have…well, you have…What's that thing called? It ends in 'bumps'?"

"Oh, you mean-"

"Goose!"

"Yeah," she smiled dreamily. "You just get me, Will."

"Th-that wasn't me…" I said, my eyes darting back and forth , scanning the tall grass for any signs of movement.

A white blur burst from the grass, coming around to bear on us. It dug its front paws, white and red, into the ground, and its hindquarters and long, fluffy white tail up in the air, like it was ready to pounce.

I took out Dex, so I'd at least know what was about to maul me.

_Zangoose_

_The Cat Ferret Pokémon_

_It's Seviper's archrival. To threaten those it encounters, it fans out the claws on its front paws._

It must've really not liked us then, as its frontal claws were fanned out to the max. It growled at us.

"Zaaan…"

The bushes behind us now rustled again with activity. Up rose a great black snake. Its glossy black scales were patterned with hard yellow ones running down its back. Its blood red fangs hung from its mouth, and its forked tongue flickered in and out, as if taste testing something.

It might've been us. And then came the cincher. Behind the trunk-like snake, a black and red sabre like tail on clear display for us.

Addison shrieked, and latched onto me with her iron grip. "S-snake!" stuttered the petrified Ace Trainer. "Why did it have to be a snake!?"

I already had a pretty good idea on who this newcomer was, but I took out my Pokédex regardless.

_Seviper_

_The Fang Snake Pokémon_

_Constant polishing makes the edge of the blade on its tail extremely sharp. It's Zangoose's archrival._

Without any hesitation, they moth lunged, and collided in midair. I grabbed Addison and lunged back into the grass. The two landed right on top of our picnic blanket, biting and scratching and grappling, trying to gain the upper hand.

In a tight scrap like this, it was Seviper. Using the advantage of its long and maneuverable body, it managed to wrap up Zangoose, thought the Cat Ferret Pokémon put up a fight, catching Seviper one last time in the eye before being wrapped up completely.

Seviper ginned, its tongue flicking in and out with glee. And then it began to squeeze.

Zangoose roared with pain, gazing hatefully up at Seviper, but knowing that it couldn't do a thing. Seviper, milking this, raised its head, and sunk its teeth deep into Zangoose's shoulder.

Addison and I looked away.

Seviper shifted position, its entire body no longer wrapped around Zangoose. Instead, it spread itself out, Zangoose wrapped up mainly by the upper regions, freeing the tail. I knew what came next.

And there was nothing I could do.

Seviper grinned, victory at hand. Its tail glowed purple, and the tip of the sword like armament pointed towards its victim. But Zangoose wouldn't have it.

With one final roar, it managed to burst free from Seviper's grasp. Claws aglow, it whacked Seviper in the face, smashing it into the ground. Seviper's long body thrashed around, striking Zangoose in the back several times. But Zangoose still wouldn't let Seviper up for air.

Now, with tis second claw aglow, it raised its other paw to prepare and end it. But it was Seviper's turn for a surprise. It let loose a thick and sudden cloud of smoke, blowing right into Zangoose's face. Zangoose coughed and stumbled back.

When the smoke quickly cleared, Seviper was gone, a hole in the ground where it had been. Zangoose stumbled towards the hole, and then fell face down. Discolored blood flowed from tis wound.

"What do we do!?" cried Addison, mortified at what we had just witnessed, as well as the result.

I ran over to the wounded Pokémon. I didn't know what to do. All of my supplies were back at the Pokémon Center. Plus, I don't think that would've helped. He needed a doctor.

But would we be able to make it to the Pokémon Center in time?

I was fairly sure on the answer. And I didn't like it.

* * *

**Zangoose is mortally wounded, and the Pokemon Center is far out of reach. What will become of Will, Addison and the poor wounded Cat Ferret? Find out next time!**

**Anyway, gettin' back on track. So, I've decided to do a little thing I like to call "TrainerNaps Trivia" every once in a while. I was always fascinated on what some things were based on in movies and books and games, and also what original drafts were supposed to be like. Like did you know that Han Solo was originally supposed to be some sort of lizard-man? Or that the main enemies in the original Mass Effect were supposed to be the batarians? So, I hope you find these little factlets interesting.**

**TrainerNaps Trivia:**

**1.**** CJ was always intended to learn Shock Wave, even before I came up with the concept of her unbalanced charge. This was because in all of my Gen 3 playthroughs, I would pretty much always teach my Kirlia (or whatever stage it was at at the time) Shock Wave. Just a habit, I guess.**

**2. This chapter was supposed to introduce a new reoccurring character, but it was decided to move them further down the cue of things to introduce. I want something to go on in each town, but not too much.**

**3. Will was originally intended to catch Roselia, and then trade it to Kayla in Fallarbor Town for a Numel that she had captured thinking it was a Grass-Type. The reasoning would have still been that Roselia was overwhelmed by Will's adventures, and that Numel isn't very good at stylish Contest maneuvers. **

**4. When escaping the crumbling ruins, Will was supposed to find an Anorith fossil. It made litle sense to me towards the ends why he'd stop to pick up an odd looking rock, so I scrapped that idea.**

**Anyway, expect more trivia like this coming up in the future. The only thing I have to request is don't complain about "How you would've liked the story better" these ways, or "It would have been better these ways." If I see that, I'm just gonna stop doing this little segment, plain and simple. I just don't wanna have to deal with people telling me how ****_my _****story could've been better. There's a difference between advice and constructive criticism, and just flame and complaining. That's just one of my pet peeves.**

**Anyway, let's not adjourn with any hard feelings (Theoretical high-five to whomever figures out what that quote was from). Reader Question-e time! If you could go on a Pokemon journey with two friends accompanying you, who would you take? They could be characters from the universe, OCs, my OCs, otehr people's, or your own friends (just refrain from using their names if they don't want you to. Promise me that). Can't wait to hear what ya'll have to say!**

**Skarmory: This Trainer managed to fall me...****_ME!_****...I think he deserves a few reviews...**


	33. Chapter 33: A Friend in Me

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will, Flannery, and Emile were cornered by the Skarmory that had been harassing them for the past few days, this time with the intent of ending them. Will's first (and last) hope is Grunt, who battles valiantly against the Armor Bird, who is taken by surprise. But still, raw power eventually beat out Grunt. But with the help of Slugma, Skarmory is taken down, and captured by Will. Our hero is not safe yet, however, as Addison drags him away for a "romantic" picnic for the two of them. Their lunch is interrupted however by a territorial bout between a Zagoose and a Seviper. After an epic clash, the Zangoose is mortally wounded, and the Seviper escapes. Too far away to reach a Pokemon Center in time, Will and Addison are hard pressed to find medical attention for the Cat Ferret. Will they be able to save it? Find out now!**

Lanette moaned as she walked down the path leading to her home on Route 114. She regretted walking this far out. And she wanted to get home, ASAP. But if she walked too fast, she was painfully reminded of her aching feet, and her cramps returned. But if she walked too slowly, she only remembered how much she wanted to get home.

"That's it," she said to herself, tugging at the track suit that her sister had gotten her three Christmases ago, which was now a few sizes too small. "No more walks. I mean, Mom and Bridgett say I have to get out of the house more, but…bah! The house is good! I like the house!"

She slouched as she realized what was going on: she was talking to herself again. "Aaaand I'm talking to myself again." She sighed. "I really need a boyfriend…"

She was getting close enough to home as to which she remembered the path. Up ahead, the path turned right, and there was a small hill to the left. It had a very nice view of the ocean, and the sunsets were especially beautiful.

As she walked up the short slope to reach this area, however, she heard the urgent cry of a girl.

"What do we do!?"

She hastened her pace a bit, and reached the top of the hill. Looking down the slope, she saw a girl standing mortified as she watched a boy-most likely her boyfriend, due to the fact that there was a picnic blanket nearby-tend to a mortally wounded Zangoose.

She knew that Seviper and Zangoose often got into scraps in these parts. In fact, if one saw an ongoing fight between a Zangoose and a Seviper, it was just customary to leave them be. They always fought, and they would never stop.

She had seen Zangoose limp after a fight. She had seen them bleed, howl, hiss, even cry. But this one was too beat up to do anything. She had to help.

"Hey!" she cried, starting down the hill, only to trip and fall the rest of the way. She stumbled to her feet, brushing herself off. "Sorry~! I'm not a very outdoorsy person!"

"Can you help us!?" the boy asked. "This Zangoose needs help, like, right now! We won't be able to get it back to a Pokémon Center in time!"

"You can bring it by my house!" said Lanette, pointing over the hill. "I live close by. I have plenty of medicine, too. My mom is actually a Nurse Joy, so I learned how to heal Pokémon." She chuckled as she remembered something. "There was this one time, when-"

He snapped his fingers. "Ma'am! We need to focus! How are we gonna get this thing to your house!?"

She sweatdropped, tugging at the collar of her tracksuit. "I, uh…well…Pokéball?"

The boy nodded, taking out a Pokéball, and securing the wounded beast inside it.

As soon as he had it strapped to his belt, he bolted up.

"Let's go!" he cried, running up the hill ahead of her, motioning for her to come.

"Oh! Sorry!" She ran after me, huffing and puffing like the hill was some sort of triathlon challenge. "My name is Lanette by the way!"

…...

"Home sweet home!" chirped Lanette as she flicked on the lights. All I saw was one large room, spanning what I estimated to be most-if not all-the length of the house. Rows and rows of long tables formed lines in the room, covered all over with stacks of books, papers, and computers. Bookshelves lined the walls. Clutter…well, cluttered the floor.

"Sorry about the mess!" said Lanette, stepping over several piles of books to reach the desk at the farthest end of the room, this one turned so that the one sitting in it could face the façade of the house. "I just get really engrossed in my research, and then…boom! Messy Marvin, that's me!" She let out some nervous laughter, tapping her hands together.

"Uh…Miss?" I spoke up, holding out Zangoose's Pokéball.

"Oh! Sorry! See what I mean? Lost in thought!" She motioned for to follow. "Come with me, I can _WHOA!_" She tripped and fell over a stack of books, onto her back. "Owwww…"

I helped her to her feet. "Ehehe…thanks. Come on!" She led us through door adjacent to the one we came in through; right behind Lanette's desk. There was a small hallway, with one door at the end, the one we had just came through, and one door right in front of us. There was a dying potted plant in the middle of the hallway, and several stacks of books as well.

She led us in. Inside was a bare room, with nothing but a large table and a few chairs. Two dusty windows hung above our heads.

"This is my…uh…dining room," she said, clearing (You guessed it) more books off of it, putting them on the chairs, and moving those to the side of the room. "I mean, it's where I eat when people come over. And, you know…not many people do. Just my mom and my sister. Oh, but there was this one time-"

"Lanette!" I didn't yell, but just raised my voice a little. I hated yelling at a stranger, but Zangoose's life was at stake. "You need to-"

"Focus! Right, sorry! My mind just sometimes flutters all around!" She began to wave her arms about. "It's over there, it's over there, sometimes it's over there-"Her face strained. "Right now it's in the medicine cabinet. Going to the medicine cabinet…" She walked out the door, talking to herself the whole way.

"She's uh…she sure is…" Addison tried to but words to the woman. No luck so far.

I sent Zangoose out onto the table. He was lying down, barely breathing. I walked over to his side and felt his arm. "Take it easy, pal. We'll fix you up."

"-and sometimes Bridgett says 'You need to clean this place up more often!' And I go, 'I try, but then I think about something else'!" Lanette was still talking to herself as she walked back in, carrying a bag of medicine.

She really must not get a lot of company, as she just keeps telling her stories with no concept of who is or isn't listening.

She rested the bag on the table, talking away as she did. "Okay, what have we here? Seviper wound? Most likely. Zangoose hardly fight each other, plus they don't have fangs. Other possibilities? Not many others. Seviper only poison type on Route 114." She examined the wound, still talking. "Discoloration of blood. Venom corrupting bloodstream, merging with hemoglobin. Taking away oxygen. Very bad. This could be…problematic."

Well, I took comfort in the fact that she seemed to know what she was talking about. Could she do anything about it, though, was the real question.

"W-what's gonna happen?" asked Addison, cuddling up to me. Without looking, I pushed her off, but she came right back. I sighed and just let it be.

"Well, Seviper bit deep into one of its major arteries. That's a very bad thing to have poison in."

I spun my hand in a rolling motion. She sweatdropped, turning back to the wounded Pokémon. "So, we simply implant the cure in three. One in the infected, and two in others, to round up the poison. Seviper venom is very thorough, very dangerous. Spreads throughout the body, regardless of whether or not it's under attack. Like those guys from that one alien movie, what was it-?"

I cleared my throat. She stopped thinking about what she had seen on the Sci-Fi channel the other night, and about fixing Zangoose. "Okay, don't you worry. I can fix this. Just give me some time. Why not go back out into the main room, get some snacks. I have Veggie Straws!"

"Oooh! My favorite!" She clapped her hands together, and then grabbed mine, leading me back out. "C'mon Will!"

I was a little reluctant to leave Lanette without anyone keeping her on track, but Addison had dragged me out before I could protest.

…

"Come on, Slakoth, get up!" Wes had been trying to motivate the Sloth Pokémon into training all day, with no luck. He simply lied on his back, staring up at the sky, the blissful expression on his face.

"Yeesh, Wes, don't overwork him!" cried Burgundy from a few yards away, who was reading a book, yet glancing up from time to time, checking on Wes's progress. Or lack thereof.

Wes scowled, tossing a small rock at her head. She simply leaned her to the side, the shot going wide. "Thank you, peanut gallery!" he cried before turning back to his Pokémon. Just as he did, though, a small rock struck him in the back of the head.

Rubbing his scalp, he whipped back around to face Burgundy. She put on an innocent grin and pointed at Slakoth. Wes rolled his eyes, and before even turning a second time, was struck in the forehead with a rock!

He turned just in time to see Slakoth's arm coming down. "Really!?" he cried, his fingers clenching like claws. "_That's _what you do!?"

"Slaaaaaa," he sighed, very pleased with himself. Wes turned now to Treeko, one of his faithful companions.

"Treeko, let's motivate Slakoth, shall we?"

"Koh!" said the lizard, nodding his head and preparing to leap forward. If Slakoth couldn't be coaxed into a battle, than he would be encouraged into one.

"Treeko, Pound!" Treeko dashed forward, Slakoth doing nothing more than blinking. Treeko leapt into the air and spun, his tail coming around with him. It slammed down…purposely missing his head by a few inches.

"Slakoth, that would've knocked you out cold!" said Wes forcefully. "See, you have to ba-"

Slakoth was slowly-very, very slowly-getting to its feet. Treeko backed up a few steps, stunned by this. Even Burgundy put her book down.

Slakoth inhaled. Everyone assumed that it was because he was just yawning again. But when he exhaled, a great arctic wind shot from his mouth, knocking Treeko all the way back to Wes. When the attacked faded, Treeko was encased in ice, and Slakoth settled back down for a nap.

Wes and Burgundy looked at each other, both of their mouths agape. Then they looked at Slakoth, and then back at each other, stupefied.

"W-was that…Blizzard?"

…

I was somberly sitting on a desk, staring at my feet, as Addison happily munched away at Veggie Straws. Right now, that poor Zangoose was lying on that table, its life hanging by a thread. If I had done something…if I had reacted sooner…

My head shot up as I heard a tap at one of the windows. I could faintly see a round shape hovering outside. "Hello? Is anyone inside? I am in search of my Maker, if anyone could possibly offer any aid-"

I sighed. "I'm in here, Zip."

Addison and I jolted as Zip flew through the window, shattering the glass. Addison spilled her Veggie Straws all over the ground. "Aww!" she moaned, and bent over to gather them. Five second rule, I guess.

Zip flew over to me, flying his happy little circles. "Oh, Maker, I was so nervous at how furious you would be that I wasn't back on time!"

I chuckled, patting the little drone of his head. "I'm not mad, Zip."

"Oh, Maker, you are so forgiving! I wish all Organics could learn a thing or two from you!" He settled in front of me, no longer rotating. "Well, as per you instructions, which I followed to the letter, I concluded that the Lost City of Atlantis is not located off the coast of Route 114!"

It was my turn to laugh again, somewhat amused at the wild Ducklett-chase I had sent Zip on to distract him so I could enjoy a peaceful-well, as peaceful as lunch with Addison gets.

But then sorrow took over. What if I hadn't been selfish, and let Zip come. He could've helped Zangoose…

My balled-up fist came down on the table, rocking a few knick-knacks. Zip nervously rotated his magnets. "Maker, if you are outraged at the destruction of that window, I will proceed to punish myself…"

"Zip, now!" I said, my hand shooting out to stop him. "No punishing, remember?"

"Oh, my apologies, Maker! I forgot. And since I forgot, I will now proceed to punish-…I mean, should I transfer funds to repair said window to the account of the resident?"

I smiled and nodded. He zipped off to do so. Just as he did, Lanette came out into the room. I hopped off of the table, running over to her. She shrieked in surprise, most likely having been thinking about something else.

"How is he? Is he okay? Will he?"

She waved her hands down, the stressed out expression still wearing her face. "Please, please, calm down!"

I took a step back, my shoulders lowering. "Sorry…I…"

"No, no, I should apologize," she said glumly, plopping down in the revolving chair at her desk. "I don't usually get visitors, and when I do…I don't know. There's just a huge back-log of things I wanna say…and…" She sniffled, trying to distract herself as she had done before by thinking about what she was doing on the computer, but couldn't. She run over to me and wrapped me in a hug. She started weeping.

"No one ever listens to me!" I was a bit caught off guard, but started rubbing her back with my hand and comforting her.

"Come on, Lanette, you don't have to-"

"I mean *sniffle* I spent months localizing the PC system from Kanto! No one would have a PC system in Hoenn if it weren't for me! And does anyone stop by to say 'Thanks, Lanette'? No! I don't even get any thankful e-mails, or letters, _NOTHIN! _All I get is a big check in the mail every week, and that's it! My mom barely ever calls anymore! How sad is that!? _My mom doesn't call me!_ How pathetic is that!? I'm a loser!"

"You're not a loser, Lanette."

The programmer sniffled, and looked me in the eyes, hers shimmering. "I'm not?"

"No, you're not."

"I-I talk to dolls. That's pretty losery."

"No, it's not, Lanette." It felt good restoring her confidence. I almost forgot about how I had failed Zangoose.

"I don't have any friends. That's pretty losery."

I paused for a second. "I'll be your friend."

She seemed dumfounded that the prospect had even been brought up by another human being. She stumbled back, her arms shaking, jaw dropped, a smile trying to creep up her face. "Y-you will?"

"Of course I will. Why not."

"Yippee!" She jumped up and down, before entering another fit of talking to herself. "This is so great! I don't have to talk to that Seedot doll anymore! I mean, no offense, Seedot, but…whoops! My bad! Dolls don't have feelings, and!"

She stopped, the smile that was trying to be finally taking place. "Wait…I have a friend now! I can talk to you!" Her expression briefly dropped to one of worry. "Can I?"

I nodded. She cheered again, and too out her PokéNav. It took every fiber of my control not to smash it. "Can I have your phone number? Like, since we're friends, I can finally tell someone about my research! If…that's okay."

"Call me whenever you want, Lanette."

Having my phone out reminded me of something. "Hey, can I call my friends quick? Tell them where I am?"

"Sure! But…I don't really get good service around here…What kind of service do you use?"

"Virizion Wireless," I answered.

"Oh, yeah, then it won't work. I have Zekromcast."

"How do you make calls?" asked Addison, her mouth full of Veggie Straws.

"I use the house phone. Or this one. Or I e-mail. But I…uh…don't really need to call people that often…and they don't call me…so…"

Addison jumped up urgently, spilling Veggie Straws all over the floor. "Oh! The picnic stuff! I should go clean that up before someone steals it!" I doubted anyone would want an old basket and a few sandwiches tailored to the likings of two teenage Pokémon Trainers, but nonetheless, Addison an out the door.

Lanette looked back at me, and sweatdropped as she bit her lip. I could tell she wanted to talk to her new friend, but…didn't know how exactly. So I took care of that.

"So, Lanette," I said, leaning up against a table and striking up the conversation. "What do you do."

"Oh, I program!" she chirped, excited that someone took interest in her work. "Patching the PC system to the whole Hoenn region, bug fixes. I created the visual element to make it more user friendly."

"And this is your job?"

"Yeah. It's pretty much full-time. It's been suggested to em that I hire employees, but…I don't know, I'm just not ready, I guess. I like it just being me…but I like companies too."

"Have you ever wanted to start your own business?" I asked Lanette, growing legitimately ever-interested in the topic. As the son of a higher-up in a major corporation, I had grown very keen to business and business information.

"I guess…it would be nice to have more free time, which I could get with employees. Plus, the company of other people would be cool…"

"Do you need a loan to start up?"

"Nah, not really. Like I said, I get big checks because people use my PC system a lot."

"If you don't mind me asking, how big?"

"It varies. But my net worth is about seven hundred million dollars. Last time I checked."

My jaw dropped. "S-seven hundred _million!?_ Lanette, why do you live in this messy house if you're almost a billionaire!?"

"I've never had the time to move," she said meekly. "Either that, or I…forgot. I'm a very forgetful person. Well, not forgetful, just…I think a lot. And sometimes, when I think, it replaces other thoughts. Like, when I'm going into the bathroom to brush my teeth before bed, I have to go 'Toothbrush, toothbrush, toothbrush' or else I just, like, brush my hair or go to the bathroom or something, and then I just forget about the other thing. Like, one time-"

We both turned as we heard a groan come from the back room. It was Zangoose. I got up and excused myself. "I'm gonna go check up on Zangoose. Zip, you keep Lanette company."

I got up and left, both watching me as I opened the door to the hallway, and vanished into it. They turned back to each other, both not sure what to do without me.

"So…" said Lanette, trying her hand at striking up a conversation. "Know any good songs?"

…

I pulled up a chair in front of Zangoose's table and sat down, resting my head in my hands. Zangoose was out cold, his chest rising and falling regularly, a clear sign that he could now breathe.

His shoulder was bandaged up, blood no longer oozing out. Some had crusted up in his fur around the wound, but all in all, he seemed better.

I patted him on the claw. "Rest easy, pal. You'll be better in no time."

This Zangoose seemed really powerful; really focused and readied. Maybe I'd ask him to come with me…

Just them, I heard talking from the other room. Good. Lanette got her confidence back up, and is talking to Zip.

But there were a lot of voices. Too many, in fact. All deep, masculine…

And then I heard a crash. And Lanette scream. Just as I prepared to jump up and run out, my phone rang. I answered; it was Burgundy.

"What is it," I said in a hushed whisper, slowly making my way into the hallway.

"Will!" Her voice sounded rushed, nervous even. "Will, you have to get back to town, now! It's Flannery!"

"Flannery!? Why, what's wrong?"

"She was just arrested!"

**DUN-DUN-DUUUUUUUUN!**

**Looks like things got a little too "hot" for Flannery! *Kricketot chirping* Anyone...okay...**

**As for Lanette, I've imagined her character ever since I first played Ruby. I figured a young, single woman who lives alone in a secluded from a city that is secluded to begin with would be a little...cooky. And I hope you picked up the Mass Effect 2 reference in her dialogue. **

**And to the person who suggested names for Slugma and Skarmory, I greatly appreciate your contribution, and those were great ideas, but I thought of names I liked ahead of time! Thanks a bunch! Just one thing to that person as well. I know you said you'd be excited for the Unova ark, and trust me, you especially will be very, very excited...**

**Okay, Reader Question of the Day (or RQoD, if you will): If Pokemon: The Plasma Saga was an anime, how do you think the opening and closing would go? Songs? Cutscenes? This may seem random, but things like this really give me an idea of wht the series is perceived as. Thanks! **

**Cliffhanger, I choose you!**

**Cliffhanger used Suspense and Foreshadowing! Will, looking after a wounded Zangoose, has heard strange noises in Lanette's lab. Who are these mysterious strangers, and what do they want? And what are the false accusations against Flannery? All this and more next time on Dragon Ball- dang it! I did it again!**

**Lanette: Review! It would be really nice to hear what others have to say! I remember this one time...**


	34. Chapter 34: Gearing-Up to Show-Down

**Previously on Revelations:**

**In their hour of need, Will and Addison met Lanette, a local who lived by herself on Route 114. She graciosuly allowed them to use her house as a medical checkpoint for Will's injured Zangoose, which he caught for ease of transportation. Once there, Lanette is revealed to be the programmer genius behind the PC system Hoenn localization. She also reveals that she is very lonely, and Will pledges to be her friend. Addison runs out to clean up the picnic supplies, and Will goes to check on Zangoose. While in the back, he hears strange voices and a crash from outside. Not only that, but he receives word that Flannery has been arrested! What crimes has she been accused of? And who are these mysterious intruders? Find out now!**

I walked slowly to the door leading to Lanette's main room, as quite as possible. In the back room with Zangoose, the voices had only been a mumble. Now, they were more like a rumble: deep and profound.

I cracked the thin wooden door open just enough to poke my eye through. Lanette's desk was empty, of a person that is. I needed to see what was going on.

I opened it a bit more, just enough for me to squeeze through, low to the ground. With my skinny build, I didn't need to open it that far. I crept slowly to Lanette's desk, and pressed myself up against it. I heard the conversation more clearly now.

"Please, please!" pleaded Lanette to the unknown intruders. "Please don't break any more computers! There might be stuff I need on there!"

"Yeesh, lady, you sure have a lot of computers," came the snide reply of one of them. "As a matter of fact, you have a lot of everything in here. Why's your place such a mess, toots? What, did you forget that you had some of these things and buy new ones?"

Lanette was silent for a moment. "N-no!"

"Heh heh heh," came a deep chuckle. "Well, someone who has all these fancy computers and books and papers must be pretty smart, eh? Pretty connected."

"Yeah…well, I don't have that many friends…I live alone and stuff…"

"What about that?" Vocal clues wouldn't be enough. I needed to assess the situation. Being careful not to expose myself, I peered ever so slightly to the side of the desk. There I could see Lanette being held by the arm by a muscular man. Surrounding him were a few more, all wearing the same garb: blue pants, black and white striped shirts, and a bandana with a skull and crossbones on it. Team Aqua!

And…Zip? He was just kinda chillin in midair. Why wasn't he helping?

"Zip?" stuttered Lanette. "Oh, he's my company!"

"Company?" snorted the buff one. "Baby, you must be real desperate to have a Magnemite as company!"

"That's not all!" said Lanette, in a bold "I'll show you!" tone of voice. I crossed my fingers and silently prayed that she wouldn't reveal that I was here…

"My new BFF Will is in the back room!" I silently facepalmed. Well, I guess I couldn't blame her. Poor girl hasn't had a friend in Arceus knows how long. If I had a new companion after a long time of solitude, well…okay, I wouldn't blab it to my captors when they were my only hope. But, hey, when you're excited, you're excited. I get that.

"Well," I said to myself, taking out a Pokéball. "Time to do this the old fashioned way. Knock some skulls…"

"I would advise that you do not disturb the Maker," chimed Zip. The three Aqua goons, excluding the buff guy, looking astonished.

"I-It talks!" said one, studying Zip from any angle his neck would allow, as if thinking this was some brand of sorcery.

"Given an individual of your exact IQ, it would not be out of place to say the same about you," came back Zip. Wow. Even machines were capable of sick burns. I've gotta give Zip a little more respect after the whole hostage situation ends…

"Wait, so the guy who made you is here?" asked Buff Guy, increasing his grip on Lanette. She let out a yelp, and fell to her knees, trying to pry off Buff Guy's grip. It was no use; his thick meaty hands were too much for her skinny arms.

"Was it her?"

Zip shook his head…well, his whole body. "Oh no. No offense to Organic Lanette comma Programmer, but she doesn't hold the ghost of my Maker's mental capacity! Oh, his mind is limited not by the norm of humans, I have found. If you wish to meet him-"

"No, Zip!" I screamed in my head, doing a pre-disappointment facepalm. "Don't tell them where I am!"

"-he is currently in the back room, nursing back to health a Zangoose, out of the goodness of his heart."

Well, time for the post-disappointment facepalm. I briefly recalled my head back to behind the desk, just in case they had looked in this direction. There was a brief moment of silence.

"Nick," said Buff Guy. "Go check it out."

I heard the heavy clomp of boots on the wood floor. I broke out into a cold sweat, thinking fast of what I could do. Silently, I squeezed myself into the square space under the desk where the chair usually slide into. I hid behind said chair, crossing my fingers once more.

I saw a pair of blue clad legs walk behind the desk, open the door, and vanish inside. Time to make my move.

I was far outnumbered, and my Pokémon were weak from our training and battle with Skarmory today. I still have to name him and Slugma…hm…

I shook my head. Focus! I crept to the other side of the desk, and peeked my head over. They had all turned back to Lanette. I took my chance.

Staying low, I dashed to the cover of a row of desks. I peeked over. No one had seen me. I resolved to attack from behind, giving me some extra surprise. Every time they started to talk, I crept forward a bit, using the sound of their voices to cover any small sounds that escaped my caution.

"Okay, sugar," chuckled Buff Guy. Lanette squeaked. He must've been making her uncomfortable. I'd make him pay for that. "You seem real smart. I said that right?"

"Sure did!" came one of the Aqua Grunts.

"Shut up!" snapped Buff Guy.

"Sorry, Matts…" came the solemn reply. Alright, Matts. At least we were on a first name basis now…

"Anywho, you could probably get a little info for me, eh? See, my boss is really breathin' down my neck right now, on my other two companions are getting' all the glory! You think you could help me out with a little project I'm workin' on?" He chuckled in that "Big Dumb Henchmen" way.

"H-how?"

"See, my boss is a little stressed right now. We're trying to build this thing to help us with our plans." He paused again, making me stop dead, and I almost fell over from the sudden stop. I was almost to the end of the row. Pokéball in hand, I waited for the next sentence.

"Maybe you could look up a little info for me…sweetie." He cynically added that last part.

"I-I can't," choked Lanette. I couldn't see her, but I could tell that she was holding back tears.

"And why is that?" asked one of the Aqua Grunts, rather snidely. I heard him cry out in mild pain as the sound of someone slapping him rang out.

"Why not, cutie?" asked Matts.

"I-I can't type when I'm stressed. Sorry…"

"Well, you seem like a person who makes their living off of their computer. What do you do to calm down?"

"W-well, my therapist says I shouldn't get worked up, so I usually take a long bath, make a bowl of ice cream, and watch anime for the rest of the night…"

"We'll, see we don't have the rest of the night…" Lanette yelped again. I clenched my teeth. I needed to be faster!

"If it is a mutual exchange of information you seek, I am sure I could be of service!" piped Zip cheerfully.

"No!" I wanted to cry out. "Zip, don't help them! Help Lanette! Why are you-"

And then it hit me. This was my fault! I had told Zip to not attack anyone unless I told him that they were enemies! That little jerk! It didn't matter what he saw! All that mattered was me telling him that they were enemies! If that didn't happen, he'd assume everyone was friendly!

Lovin' the loyalty, Zip. Hating the loopholes…

"We'll, it's about time someone decided to be helpful!" I heard a thump, as he must have finally released Lanette. "Now, can you tell me something?"

"If you wish to receive a specific bit of information, you must be more specific. Or, I could activate my random fact generator…"

"No, no, we have something specific in mind. Who invented the Master Ball?"

I nearly choked on my own tongue, for a number of reasons. I couldn't tell which the foremost reason was: that my father was the inventor, or that the only one in existence was currently in my backpack in the back room.

Or, why did they want to know?

"The creator of the Master Ball was Dr. Cassius Miles Grey. As a matter of fact, he was my previous and original Maker!"

This was getting too close to home! Literally! I raised my arm a bit, ready to hop over the desk and spring my trap.

"Does your current Maker have anything to do with him?" asked Matts, a bit eagerly. He had gotten exactly what he wanted. And he could press for more…

"As a matter of fact-"

As I prepared to attack, I felt a strong hand grip my wrist. I screamed in pain as the man who was sent to find me in the back squeezed. My grip on the Pokéball was opened, sending it rolling under a desk.

"Hey, Matts, look what I found!"

The Grunt hoisted me up. I was scowling in anger and pain. My other hand shot to my belt for my Pokéballs, but was grabbed as well. He held me up by both arms now, like some kind of puppet.

"I found the sick Zangoose back there, but no kid. I checked the other rooms, too. One was a bathroom. The other one was a bedroom. A few more computers and laptops-"

"And a bed?" asked one of the Grunts.

The one holding me captive laughed. "That's what I was sayin' to myself! This room was a mess! So, yeah, computers, books, papers, bed, and a TV. Other than that, just empty cartons of ice cream, DVDs and manga all over the place.

Matts looked down at Lanette, who smile sheepishly. "I-I get stressed out easily…"

"So, kid, you know this Magnemite?' asked Matts.

"Nope!" I denied openly, closing my eyes and turning my head as a sign of defiance. "Never once in my life! In fact, what's a Magnemite?"

"Maker, I don't understand," said Zip, scratching his round body with a magnet. "Are you suffering from short term memory loss or any other sort of head pains?"

Matts and the others chuckled. I sighed. "Zip, we're gonna have a serious chat when this is over."

"Shall I log a reminder?"

I groaned, as this incited more laughter from Team Aqua. Just what I need; being embarrassed in front of the bad guys…

Matts cracked his knuckles and walked slowly over to me. "So…Maker? How do you know Dr. Grey, huh?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that you're going to punch me if I don't talk?"

"I like to call it 'beat'. You know, like a punching bag."

The man holding my arms chuckled, and backed up to allow his superior a little more room to jab me in the gut.

His heel hit the button on Skarmory's Pokéball.

…

There were two large clanks as the door leading to the out-processing area of the Fallarbor Town Sheriff's Department was shut and locked. Wes, Burgundy, and Emile, escorted by the local Officer Jenny, though, in this small town, she had been afforded the title of Sheriff, and had chosen to differentiated herself from her sisters, cousins, aunts and other female relatives as such.

The usual short blue hair of an Officer Jenny was a bit longer, about down past her shoulder. And as the law force in this town was rather small (her, three deputies, and their Pokémon) she wore charcoal black lipstick: a sign that she meant business.

To back this up, she had in fact been stern when they showed up asking for Flannery. Not rude, but stern, as to assert that this was her town.

"Listen, it's her right to get one phone call," she had said when they arrived, crossing her arms. "But that don't mean that she gets a visit too."

Burgundy had tried to plead with Officer Jenny. "Ma'am, please. First of all, this was just-"

"A misunderstanding?" She scoffed. "Please, you wouldn't believe how many times I've heard that from travelers.

"Who would even _want _to travel here unless they had too…"mumbled Wes under his breath. Sheriff Jenny shot him a look that sent shivers down his spine. She turned back to Burgundy.

"And I've looked up you're file, Ms. Chestelle. I know you've been banished from Castelia City, as well as being forbidden to practice your connaisseuse-ery anywhere. So DON'T go doing it here in my town! I don't wanna have to deal with those stuck-ups from that Committee in Unova, yellin' at me for lettin' you practice here. Got that!?"

Burgundy clenched her fists and looked down at her feet. She looked like she was about to break down. "Yes, ma'am…" Wes put a hand on her shoulder.

"Ma'am, I'm a Ranger, so if-"

"No," she responded blandly.

"Excuse me."

"I said no! First of all, if you were a Top Ranger, you'd be able to pull that 'Top Ranger's Authority' garbage and release the prisoner temporarily under your care. But you _aren't _a Top Ranger, you _aren't _ona mission that would benefit from her help, and most importantly, you _aren't in the east where any of those things would actually matter!_" She had leaned forward and hissed that last part.

"Can we just _talk _to her?" pleaded Emile. "That's all I was gonna ask!"

Sheriff Jenny studied them for a little while, and then sighed. "Listen, I might be a little tough, but I'm a woman of the law, and I do things by the book. Even if I don't like locking a Gym Leader up, she's the only suspect we have in this case. And on the word of an Area Ranger and Professor Oak's grandson…I guess you can talk to her."

She grabbed the keys off of a hook and walked around from behind the counter. "But I have to be present, got that?"

They all nodded in agreement. "Judy, take my calls."

The teenage secretary nodded before plugging her headphones back in and blowing a bubble with her gum.

And so they found themselves, walking down the short hall of cells. They were filled with no more than local hooligans who had gotten themselves in trouble; shoplifters, deadbeats, teenagers who had done some too-mature things at parties. The finally reached Flannery.

Sheriff Jenny leaned up against the adjacent wall to watch and listen. Upon seeing her friends, Flannery jumped up and ran to the bars. "Guys, you've got to get me outta here! I could go to a state prison! I-I-"

"Relax, Flannery," said Wes, waving his hands down. "We'll get you out of here!"

"Still not sure why you wasted your one call on us instead of a layer," said Burgundy. "Or any adult for that matter."

Emile turned to Sheriff Jenny. "I'm still unclear on why she's locked up. Can you explain?"

Sheriff Jenny huffed, as if she were telling the story for the millionth time. "Our local science wiz, Professor Cosmo, was studying a meteorite her got from the Meteor Falls. Just this afternoon, he claimed that when he looked away to tend to his Pokémon, he saw a shady character making off with his meteor. All he could gather was that they had a red shirt with a fire emblem on it."

"There's no way it could've been me!" cried Flannery, grabbing the bottom of her shirt. "It's low cut! The emblem is up here!" she pointed to her breasts, which is where the small emblem was. "I'm not a criminal! I bought this shirt at a flea market! _I'm a Fire-Type Gym Leader!_"

"Enough!" Sheriff Jenny's commanding shout echoed through the hall. It was so loud in fact, Judy briefly took out her one of her ear buds to see if she was being called. Satisfied that she wasn't, she simply popped it back in.

"I'm the law in this town! We've got our boys lookin' at this, and if we find evidence to exonerate her of the crime, she'll be set free. But she has no alibi, and a witness describes her in part, so for now, she stays. If she's proved innocent, then she gets let go and an apology."

Burgundy looked up, now even more determined to prove Flannery innocent. How sweet it would be to make that lady have to say she's sorry…

"Guys, please!" Flannery whimpered. "I can't go to jail!" She pointed to her head. "Orange does _not _go with magenta!"

"Flannery, relax!" said Emile. "We'll figure this out! We promise! Will's on the case!"

Flannery gulped. Maybe orange wasn't so bad…

…

"AAAAR!" Skarmory whacked Nick with its wing, sending him back. Folding them back to its side, it took a few steps forward, assessing the situation.

"H-hey Skarmory…" I said sheepishly, slowly raising my hand.

Skarmory hissed. _I'll deal with you later…_

Matts and all of his goons took out Pokéballs. "Nice try, kid. But we've gotcha four-to-one. Plus, that Skarmory's seen better days."

I looked up at my metal companion. "Zip?"

"Yes, Maker."

"These are bad guys."

The three Aqua goons hit the groan rhythmically, quickly succumbing to Zip's electric shocks to the neck. His magnets sparked as he floated towards Matts.

"My Maker tells me that you are villainous. Does that mean you have elicited information from me?"

Matts chuckled, taking a few steps back. "You sang like a Flying-Type!"

Zip's eye-circle narrowed. "Since organics do not have a memory-reset function, I must now eliminate you!" His cheery robotic tone didn't waver. It never did, even when he was talking about murder. Kinda creepy…

"No, Zip!" I cried, holding my arm out. "We do _not _kill!"

Skarmory, thinking this was a loophole, leapt forward. The ceilings here weren't low, but this wasn't exactly the open sky, so he was worked to flutter close to the ground, with his metal wings shredding papers, books…computers…desks…the ceiling…

"ARRRRRA!" Matts jumped back, but then turned around and noticed Zip, his magnets rotating and sparking with blue currents of electricity. Seeing no other option, he bolted for the door.

Skarmory's flash cannon blew the door right off of its hinges, allowing Matt's to forgo stopping and just dash through. Zip's Thunder Wave, however, made contact, numbing one of his legs. He fell to the ground, disappearing in the tall grass.

Skarmory screeched again, and lunged to the door, full well ready to crash through it. I dropped to my knees, frantically searching for his Pokéball. I found it, and whipped my arm up. The red beam shot out, returning Skarmory just in time.

Catching my breath, I slowly got to my feet, walking over to Lanette using the new…path through the desks that Skarmory had made. I helped her up.

"Oh, Maker," said Zip, his magnets drooping. "I am sorry I gave away information to the enemy."

"That's okay, buddy," I said, patting him. "All my fault." I turned to Lanette, and put on a sheepish smile. She seemed simply overwhelmed instead of angry.

"S-sorry Lanette. Will that by cash or-"

"Oh, no!" She held up a hand. She looked around at her house's new rearrangement. "If anything, you've done me a favor!"

I blinked. "I did?"

"Yeah! First of all, I'm insured, so a crazy Skarmory and armed thugs making a mess of my house is gonna make me filthy rich! Well, filthy-er. And on the subject, now I have a reason to move out!"

She wrapped me in a hug. "You're the best best friend ever!"

I destroy a house and gain a friend…I love my life.

…

Wes kicked a small pebble as they exited the Sheriff's Office. The teenagers were a bit glum, as they were face with near-impossible odds in the face of adult tyranny, but had to prevail.

"Excuse me!" they all looked up to see a skinny man running towards them, lab coat billowing behind him as he ran. Keeping pace with him was a pale rock Pokémon. It was crescent shaped, with a pointy beak in the middle and red eyes.

He stopped in front of them, panting with his hands on his knees. "I…I'm Professor Cosmo."

Burgundy scowled and crossed her arms. "You're the reason why Flannery is in jail!"

He straightened up and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, and, uh…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen. I was just really upset that my work was stolen from me."

"Looon," cooed the rock Pokémon, dropping downwards with sadness. Cosmo patted it on the side.

"This is my partner, Lunatone! Ever since-"

"Okay, okay!" Wes motioned for him to calm down. "Listen, you look like a great guy, Cosmo, but we don't have time to introduce each other and swap stories. Our friend is going to be sent to prison soon if we don't clear her name."

He chuckled, scratching his head a bit more. "Y-yeah, sorry. I get a little carried away sometimes. Like, when people want to…listen to me. My own mother doesn't even care what I do! Can you-"

He stopped, seeing that all three teenagers had put on looks of discontent. Lunatone nudged him, encouraging him to focus. "R-right, sorry. Listen…uh, I didn't think that my description of the thieves would send an innocent girl to prison, and-"

"Wait!" Emile interrupted. "Thieves? As in plural?" He nodded.

"I didn't get a good look at them. Lunatone needed my attention for the moment, and when I looked back, they were making off with my meteor. You have _no idea _how rare a meteor like that is! I had to-" He stopped himself, cleared his throat, and continued.

"They wore hoods and capes, and I did see a flame insignia on their uniforms. I think they're Team Magma…"

"Team Magma?' asked Wes, scratching his chin. "I think Team Aqua mentioned them…are they in league?"

Cosmo shook his head. "Don't think so. I'm no conspiracy theorist, that's my sister. She writes columns in a-darn it! Sorry, almost did it again. Anyway, Team Aqua has been causing a little trouble lately, but we believe that there's a _second _criminal organization competing with them: Team Magma! They've been operating mostly in secret so far, but didn't count on my catching a glimpse of them when they stole my meteorite, for whatever reason…"

"Wait, back up," said Burgundy excitedly. "You said that these people were wearing capes and hoods? So-"

"I know what you're thinking," said Cosmo solemnly. "And it won't work. The Sheriff is a tough lady. Unless we catch the real crooks, she's not gonna let the suspects go. I just came down here to help you guys with what I knew."

"Thanks," said Wes, preparing to leave. "Anything else?"

"Yes!" said Cosmo excitedly. "I saw them heading to Meteor Falls! You may be able to catch them there!"

"That's where Will's headed!" said Burgundy. "We can meet him-"

Her phone started ringing. She picked up; it was an unknown number.

"Burgundy? This you?"

"Yeah, who is this?"

"It's Will. My phone won't work, so I'm using a friend's. I'm headed to Meteor Falls to-"

"So are we! And so is Team Magma!"

"What a coincidence. So is Team Aqua."

"This ought to be interesting."

"My thoughts exactly. Meet you there."

**Okay, so last time, I asked what a Plasma Saga Part 1 anime would be like, and I got an extravagant and well thought out answer from one of my followers. I mean, seriously, that was awesome! It makes me want an anime of my story now! I may ask those questions more often now...**

**And, on the subject of any sort of review for Gates to Infinity, that's gonna be for a while, meaning it'll just be my final thoughts on the game. This it to honor any European readers, as I found out that the game comes out literally a month after it was released here. But, Thursday of this week, the 3DS demo is released, and I highly recommend it. Like I said, once you get to a certain point, the demo stops, but you can save your data and use it once you get a copy of the game, which was awesome!**

**And the Magnagate feature was awesome as well, I don't think I mentioned it. For years I've been planning an expedition into my drain and my soda cans, to reap the treasure within, and now I finally have the technology to do so! ;). The little circle-finder is a little picky, I must admit, but it works! I love this game! Can't wait to review it!**

**Anyway, Reader Question time! If you were a Pokemon Trainer, and could pick one character as yoru rival (anime, games, even an OC, or a person in real life!) who would they be? Describe your rivalry. Are you sworn enemies? Is it a love/hate relationship? Is it competition between siblings or close friends? Is it a cute thing between partners in a relationship?**

**Anyway, cliffhanger! Come in get a nice, hot cliffhanger!**

**Four parties bear down on Meteor Falls: Will, his friends, and Teams Aqua and Magma! Who will get there first, and what will happen once they all arrive? And who else will be waiting...? And what does Team Aqua want with Will's father? Find out next time!**

**Matts: Review, or the girl gets it!**

**Zip: Organic Lanette comma Programmer is no longer in your possession. *Eye glows red* I suggest you start running, meatbag. You have displeased the Maker.**

**Matts: GWAH!**


	35. Chapter 35: Showdown

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will investigated the strange noises that he heard coming from the main room of Lanette's house. Upon sneaking in, he discovered that a group of Team Aqua agents, lead by Matts, had invaded the home and taken captive Lanette, hitting her up for information. They found what they were looking for from Zip, who after receiving specific instructions not to zap anyone unless told to exclusively, was all too willing to tell them what they wanted to know. They inquired who invented the Master Ball, and found out that Will's father, Cassius Grey, had been the mastermind. Will breaks up the party with an accidental usage of his newly caught Skarmoy, and with the help of Zip, put Matts on the run. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew found out that Flannery had been accused of stealing a scientist meteorite, and set out to expose the true theives, who Cosmo called "Team Magma." Will they find them? Find out now!**

I dashed through the grass and weeds, trying my darndest to pull ahead of Team Aqua and Team Magma in reaching Meteor Falls. I didn't know who was ahead, behind, or had even gotten there yet, but the small hope of being able to set up an ambush was too good a chance to pass up.

"Zip," I panted, not stopping to look for the Magnemite, knowing he was effortlessly keeping pace with me. "Can you track this guy?"

"Unfortunately, Maker, I cannot. As stated previously, I am a memory unit, not a-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're a memory unit, not a 'whatever I asked for' unit. But once we get there, I doubt my Pokémon will be able to do much; we've been training all day. Well, and fighting Skarmory, but that's beside the point. Can you fight?"

"Once again, Maker, I had previously stated this, but I will again if I must. I am not outfitted for combat, but do possess a rudimentary skill. Plus…no, you wouldn't be interested in the other thing."

Quite the opposite. Zip didn't yet understand the concept of, "If you tell me I don't wanna know, odds are I'll probably want to know."

"Tell me, Zip."

"Well…" he was silent for a moment, the only sounds being the wind whipping through my ears, and the grass being slapped away by my speeding form. "…in any case, I believe that your energy should currently be used to achieve your destination. I will inform you when we arrive, Maker."

"Sounds good. Let's move!"

…

"Bah, this is taking forever!" Hank paced back and forth in front of the roaring waterfall of Meteor Falls. "I knew I should've gone myself! Those grunts weren't ready for a mission this simple! I swear, I-"

He flipped around, facing his counterpart. "Will you tell that thing to shut up!"

Courtney giggled, patting Seviper on the head as it curled around the rock she was sitting on once more, kissing her with its forked tongue. "What? I think it likes me! The poor dear was lyin' limp as a noodle outside of the cave. Why would anyone hurt a snakey-wakey this handsome?"

Hank facepalmed. Courtney always got so obsessed over her little pets. "You do realize that thing as enough venom in just the tip of its fangs to paralyze a Snorlax?"

"But you wouldn't do that, would you?" she kissed Seviper on the head. He hissed with content. "You're just cranky, Hanky. I guess I know why Maxie let you into the FireHeads."

"It's because I'm the strongest of-"

"I thought Tabitha was the strongest?"

Hank glared at her, nostrils flaring. She put her index finger on her chin, as well as her best innocent little girl face, swinging her legs to the side. Hank sighed.

"_In any case_, the grunts should be here right about-" He heard the clap of footsteps echoing through the limestone passes of the cave. A few Golbat above them got startled and flapped about.

"Here they come!"

…

I slowly navigated the tunnel behind the cave mouth, being extra careful not to step into any sort of trap. Water flowed in small streams on my sides, its reflection dancing against the walls. If I hadn't been here to take down two criminal groups, retrieve stolen property, and help free my friend from prison, I would've stopped to appreciate the sights.

"So, Zip?" I said in a whisper, careful not to make myself heard. "What was that thing you were talking about before?"

Zip sighed, knowing it would get him nowhere to lie and say he didn't remember (which, of course he would. It's literally his life's purpose to remember). Plus, there's no way he would be able to lie to the Maker for any amount of time at all.

"Maker, a long time ago I discovered an ability that I had. An ability that no other unit had." We continued to make our way through the limestone tunnels, carved exquisitely by time and water.

"I could stream the function of any other unit to myself, temporarily inheriting and unlocking all of their privileges and abilities. I was not sure whether or not this was a virus, or even malware, and so I chose to ignore it. If it was there, it _must_ have been designed by the original Maker, must it not?"

I was kinda catching on, but again, robot speech. "So what you're saying is…you can become a Combat Unit if you wanted to?"

"That is correct, Maker. Oh, you're so smart!"

"Yeah…thanks…" We continued in silence for another minute or two. Zip had nothing more to add, which made me a little bit worried. "So, Zip…I get the feeling that you don't want to do this?"

"I…am unsure what would happen." His magnets drooped, a clear indication that something weighed heavy on his synthetic mind. "There could be a complication, resulting in a lack of efficiency of me towards your goals, Maker. And that would be quite unacceptable."

I couldn't believe it. The guy was contemplating a possible life-or-death situation, and his only concern was being a hassle to me!

"Zip, do whatever _you _think is best. What do _you _want to do?" He turned to me, Magnets back to their original pose, but his body was tilted to the side, confused.

"Maker, I want to please you."

"So you're saying you won't do what I say and choose for yourself?" I grinned and cocked an eyebrow, playing my trump card. "I _am _your Maker, after all."

Zip turned back to the front, defeated. "I…think it best that we keep my syncing ability as…as you Organics say, 'Plan B'."

"I get it. So, a secret weapon?"

"Precisely, Maker."

"Okay, before we go on, can I clarify one thing?"

"Of course, Maker."

"When we get here, let's not fly out Thunder-Waves blazing. Let's attempt diplomacy first, okay?"

"An excellent plan, Maker!"

We took a turn, and I noticed some light shining out from the corridor we were about to enter. I stopped, Zip not getting the message and floating forward a bit. I held up a hand for him to stop.

"Wait," I whispered. "I hear voices…"

I crept slowly to the mouth of the corridor, poking my head around. There I could see two figures. One was a girl, perched atop a white rock. She had short black hair and a sly face with acute features. She looked kinda familiar.

The other as a guy, with long blonde hair which hung down his face, covering his left eye. He was staring intently ahead of his current position, hands on his Pokéballs. They both wore red capes and hoods with black striped pants. They fit Burgundy's description of Team Plasma perfectly.

Exerting my maximum amount of stealth, I hunkered down low and made my way to a rock next to them, hiding myself as best I could. They conversed not; all I could hear was the sounds of their breathing.

Suddenly, footsteps began to sound off, closer and closer. Into the cavern burst three goons, similarly dressed. They were all panting, as if they had all just gone through a great ordeal. In one's arm was cradled a large, pale stone, pocked with small crates. The meteor.

Just as I began to formulate a plan to deal with the two groups, Zip drifted in front of the two people who had been standing there originally.

"Greetings, friends!" he said, putting on his happy face and addressing the two Magmas. They looked at each other a bit confusedly, and then turned back to Zip.

"My name is Unit Z-19, formally known as 'Zip'. I have come to attempt diplomacy!" I facepalmed. "Now, can you please hand over the stolen meteor whilst I call the local authorities?"

The two exchanged another glance. "Kill it!"

"Seviper, Rock Smash!" cried the girl, a Seviper uncurling from the rock next to her and lunging at Zip. But this wasn't just any Seviper, it was the one from before! The distinct scratches on its neck indicated a recent crushing injury…from a Zangoose.

Seviper lashed out at Zip with its tail, missing every single time as Zip nimbly avoided and evaded.

"I find it highly unwise to resist. My diplomacy must simply be too much."

Another facepalm.

The girl's head jerked in all directions as she tried to follow Zip, her fists clenched. The three Magma grunts seemed just as interested in the bout. "Tch…hold still you little bugger!"

Okay, time to step in. I hopped over the rock and held up my hands. "Okay, okay, that's enough guys! We can be reasonable people, right?"

The girl stopped dead, her jaw dropping. "Y-you!" She hissed, pointing a finger up at me.

"Me?"

"Yes you! Don't tell me you forgot me! Oh wait, _YOU DID!_"

I looked over at the blond guy, my glance asking him what was going on. He simply shrugged.

"Uh…?"

'"It's Courtney now! Remember, it used to be Marina…?"

I snapped my fingers. "Ooooooh! You're that Team Aqua grunt Juno and I tied to that buoy!" Realizing I had just admitted to that, my shoulders jolted. "Eh…sorry about that…wait, why are you in Team Magma now?"

"I was stuck on that buoy for almost two days!" She stomped her foot, almost cracking the limestone. I could've sworn smoke was slowly flowing out of her nostrils. "I _hate _the water now!"

"It's alright. Hydrophobia is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I have a friend who-"

"I'M NOT HYDROPHOBIC!"

I stepped to the side, revealing the waterfall that I had been blocking with my body. Courtney shrieked and jumped back.

"D-don't surprise me like that!"

The guy laughed. "Courtney, just admit it. You're hydrophobic."

"AM NOT!" Her eyes were bugging out of her head now. She whipped her head around to Seviper. "Seviper, kill this kid!"

Seviper bared its fangs and lunged at me. Slithering with blinding speed, it was gonna be near impossible for me to avoid getting bitten.

"Maker!" cried Zip, shooting off a hasty Thunder Wave, but missing and instead striking the floor of the cave.

Just as Seviper lunged, a ball of dark energy struck it right in the face, knocking it back. It crumpled to the ground, defeated. Courtney shook with surprise, staring down at the limp body of her "snakey-wakey." She looked up, and saw the thing she feared even more than water.

Archie, the leader of Team Aqua hopped off of his perch, flanked by four Team Aqua grunts and a large black and grey dog-like Pokémon. It turned and growled at me.

Archie whistled, and it turned away. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the deserter and her new friends." He put his hands on his hips and walked closer to Courtney. "I must say, my feelings were hurt somethin' awful when you didn't come back. Why not, darling'."

Courtney considered her answer careful, before swallowing and answering, albeit a bit shaken up. "I-I hate the water now! I've made it my life's goal to summon Groudon and expand the land!"

"Ridiculous!" barked an Aqua grunt. "It is the water that must be expanded, for the good of all things!"

"Blasphemy!" retorted the Magma grunt holding the meteor. "The land will be better off expanded!"

Just as a full blown argument between both sides was about to erupt, I held up my hands to both parties. "Wait, wait, wait! You guys wanna do _what!? _You do realize that doing either would cause massive environmental repercussions?"

They were both silent for a few moments, as if seriously considering what I had just said.

"Get the meteor!" cried Archie. "Mightyena, go!"

The black dog leapt high up in the air, coming down on the other side of Courtney and her counterpart, bypassing their blockage of the Magma grunts. Caught by surprise, they would have no defense against the Mightyena, about to lunge once more.

Out of nowhere, a harsh wind blew, kicking up a thick white mist around Mightyena. When it faded, the Pokémon was frozen solid. In through the tunnel ran Wes, Emile, and Burgundy, Slakoth clutched tightly in Wes's arms.

My backup had arrived.

A fierce showdown was about to erupt. And I was literally in the middle of it. I took out two Pokéballs, and prepared for battle.

**Sorry if this chapter was a bit shorter. I've been having a little writer's block on how this particular Team Aqua/Team Magma meeting should go, plus I didn't have a lot of time to write today. I hate to rush, but I just thought I'd make this chapter a set-up for the actual big showdown. Plus, I got accomplished something I wanted to, which is reveal a little more about Zip.**

**Read his dialogue in this chapter carefully. It's gonna be important...wink wink...**

**And...ZOMYGOD! ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! NEW RECOOOOOORD!**

**This is awesome, guys! Triple digits for the first time! I'd like to thank all of you, this literally wouldn't be possible without you guys! Just looking at that big fat number motivates me to do more! I think we can push for 200 before Revelations ends, no? I mean, I don't know if I"m literally gonna double or push double chapters than there already are, but I think we can make it! Love ya guys!**

**Reader Question: On the subject of ol' Zip, who is your favorite robot sidekick from any move/video game/book. Me personally, I'd have to say Wheatly from Portal 2, until (SPOILER ALERT) he goes mad with power and tries to kill you...but even then he was hilarious. Lemmie know, Trainers and Trainer-ettes!**

**Courtney: Review! For the glory for Team Magma! Down with Team Aqua!**


	36. Chapter 36: After-Party

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Team Grey set out for the Meteor Falls, in hopes of beating both Team Aqua and Team Magma there to have the element of surprise on their side. On the way, Zip reveals that he has a special ability, possessed by no other Magnemite; that he can change his programming to that of any other. There are risks associated, however, and the two decided that this function will only be use as a last-ditch effort. Once inside, Will finds that two Team Magma admins, known as FireHeads, had beet him there: Hank and Courtney. Courtney was apparently the Aqua grunt he and Juno had tied to the buoy and sent out to sea after stealing her uniform, traumatizing her with hydrophobia, and making her switch to Team Magma. Team Aqua and Archie arrive on the scene, as well as the true thieves a group of Team Magma grunts, and Burgundy and Emile behind them. What will happen in the coming battle? Find out now!**

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait, hold up!" Wes held out his arms and walked forward a bit, past the three Magma Grunts and effectively placing himself between them and Archie's entourage. The Magmas didn't seem to mind Wes's passing that much, though the one holding on to the meteor did tighten his grip.

"So, lemmie get this straight. You want to expand the oceans, right?" he asked, pointing at Archie. Archie nodded. "And you want to expand the land mass, correct?" He pointed at the Magmas this time. They nodded.

"Then why the heck are you stealing a _meteor!?_ What does a space rock have to do with anything!?"

The Magma grunts looked down at the rock, and then up at each other. They muttered back and forth. "Uh…we dunno."

Wes facepalmed and sighed. He looked down at Slakoth, who was still in his arms. I had no idea that thing knew Blizzard…"You're not gonna be any help, are you?"

"Slaaaaaah…" was the dreamy response.

"Yeah, didn't think so. Return." He recalled Slakoth back to its Pokéball, and then took out another. "Grovyle, let's go!"

Out came Treeko's evolved form. I remembered seeing it in a nature documentary once in science class. Was about two times Treeko's height. It had a two toed foot, with an extra ligament sticking out of its heels. From its wrists came long palm leaves, which I knew doubled as blades in combat. From the bottom half of its beak-like mouth, down its belly, and to its crotch was a patch of pink, with a stripe of green in the middle. Also coming off of its head were palm leaves similar to those on its wrist.

Pokédex entries could come later. Burgundy decided to play her part as well. "Plusle, Minun, you're up!" The twin Pokémon burst out of their Pokéballs, dancing excitedly when they saw each other. Burgundy tapped her foot. "Uh, guys, the villains?" They smiled sheepishly (when they did that, they reminded me of Woolie, my Ampharos, when he played a prank and did that smile of his).

I looked at the two Pokéballs in my hands, and switched their occupants to active duty. "Skipper, CJ, you ready?"

"Mawsh!" said Skipper, clenching his webbed fingers.

"Kiiiirl~!" hummed CJ, pirouetting.

And so the "show" part of showdown kicked into full swing. All sides grouped up together. Wes and Grovyle backed up to my position. Archie's Aqua grunts sent out their Pokémon, a collection of Poochyena and ugly looking Water-Types that stayed in the nearby river. They were a mixture of red, black, and blue, the last to colors a clear symbol of what they'd make us if we let our guard down with them.

"Vana!" they snapped, jumping in and out of the water and snapping their jaws.

Marina, I mean Courtney, backed up to Hank, both of them sending out their Pokémon. Mari-I mean Courtney, sent out a Ninetails. Hank sent out a Slugma of his own. The three Magma grunts drifted closer, the one with the meteorite shuffling to the middle, the two FireHeads and the remaining grunts forming a protective circle. One sent out a Zubat. The other sent out a small yellow and green Pokémon I remembered from my summers with Flannery: Numel.

And finally, Burgundy and Emile closed in the southern quarter of the battle, effectively finishing covering the entire cavern with combatants. The question remained though; who would make the first move?

"Listen to me!" said Hank, addressing his Grunts, yet not turning his determined glance away from either Team Aqua, us, or both. "Protect the meteor at all costs!"

"Get the meteor at all costs!" called Archie, pointing at the Magma cluster. Courtney decided to take the preemptive action.

"Ninetails, Flamethrower!" The fox Pokémon let loose a stream of fire at Mightyena, who nimbly leapt into the air and avoided it.

"Mightyena, Shadow Ball!" Still in the air, but not yet beginning its decent, Mightyena launched another ball of darkness at Ninetails.

"Psychic!" All of its tails spread out, Ninetails glowed, and the ball stopped mere feet from its face. It was then shot back at Mightyena. A cloud of smoke exploded around it, covering it all the way to the ground. When it landed, it simply shook off its mane and growled once more; Ghost-Type attacks did nothing to Dark-Types.

I was confused at first on who I should attack. Or if I should attack at all. If I attacked Team Aqua, Team Magma could full well aid me, or they could stab me in the back.

I took my chance with Team Aqua. Hank looked like a smart guy, and I hoped he'd realize that wasting his Pokémon's energy on pointless offensives would leave his precious cargo open.

"Skipper, Mud Shot!" I hoped our training had paid off as my Marshtomp launched its beefed up answer to Mud Slap. The slug of mud shot at breakneck speeds, connecting with Mightyena. The dog was forced back a few paces, growling and shaking its mane free of filth.

Archie turned to his minions and barked at them (not literally). "All of you! Attack at once!" The grunts ordered their Poochyena to all attack at once, and Archie did the same. The four dog Pokémon leapt up into the air, fangs bared.

"CJ, Shock Wave! Skipper, Water Gun!" CJ gathered her static charge into a barrier around her, and then launched the arcing electricity at one of the Poochyena. Skipper sot his geyser of compressed water at another, knocking it back. That left one more, plus Mightyena.

"Grovyle, Leaf Blade," shouted Wes, "Take em out!" Grovyle's wrist-leaves glowed green, and shifted to a curved scimitar shape. It leapt into the air, its muscular legs giving it the necessary boost.

Poochyena was not match. Grovyle slammed one of its Leaf Blades into the little hound, sending it crashing to the ground with the other three. It partially spun around, hoping to catch Mightyena with the back of its second blade as it rotated. But Archie wouldn't have it.

"Mightyena, Crunch!" Glowing and increasing in length to the size of bananas, Mightyena sunk its teeth into Grovyle's arm, eliciting a shout of pain from the Grass-Type.

Mightyena landed, Grovyle's arm limp in its maw. It shook Grovyle about like a piece of meat, and then flung it at the river, where the hungry piranha Pokémon waited.

It leapt out of the river, ready for a snack.

"Grovyle, Leaf Blade again!" called Wes desperately, as his Pokémon hurtled towards certain doom. Sure, it had a type advantage, but if it landed in that water, the other Pokémon would have a terrain advantage.

Grovyle recovered from its shock, activating the Leaf Blade on its uninjured arm. It swung it around, connecting with the fish's jaw.

"Carva!" It slammed against the rock wall, and sunk into the river. Grovyle landed on its feet, stumbling before finally coming to rest before the river. Its other arm slouched.

I could faintly see blue blood dripping from the Pokémon's wound. That Pokémon must've had the ability Rough Skin.

Wes sighed, and took out Grovyle's Pokéball. Without use of its arms, Grovyle was essentially beaten. Wes knew his limits. "Grovyle, you did a good job. Return."

Our momentary pause didn't touch the hearts of all present, however. Mightyena, under Archie's orders, still charged for us. I was unaware of this until it was too late.

CJ was the first Pokémon it encountered. As she prepared her emergency attack, she was simply slammed out of the way, landing one a flat stone a few feet to the right.

I had to take action before it got here. "Skipper, use Water Gun to stop it!"

"Aron, go! Use Iron Defense and help Skipper hold of Mightyena!" Aron came out next to Skipper, and lowered its head as Mightyena charged forth. It met the stream of water head on, and though slowed, kept pushing. Pushing until it was right in front of Skipper and Aron, who now had its head pressed up against the beast, feet firmly in place.

"Slugma, Fire Blast!"

"Ninetails, Flamethrower!"

A star-shaped blaze of fire as well as a stream hit Mightyena in the head, knocking it back once more. Having made contact with the water, a dense curtain of steam rose up, making everything beyond Aron and Skipper virtually invisible.

I turned to see Courtney and Hank staring me down, not hostile, but vigilantly. Ready to attack if I did the same.

I bit my lip. With that steam, it would be near impossible to predict Team Aqua's moves. And with the uncertainty of having an ally in Team Magma…

I'd have to make a decisive move soon.

As a matter of fact, Hank was thinking the exact same thing.

…

"Minun, Thundershock, again!" Minun unleashed a bolt of lightning from its tiny little mouse body. Although Thundershock was one of the weakest offensive Electric-Type moves in existence, it did a great deal to Zubat, who was of very weak level.

"Numel, Ember on the Lombre!" ordered the camel Pokémon's Trainer. It launched a flurry of fire bolts as Lobre, who simply raised its arms for protection. The attack had done a decent amount of damage, but Lombre could continue on.

"Lombre, use-wha!?" Plusle had leapt up onto Lombre's lily pad head, getting the same reaction from Lombre as it did Emile. Except Emile wasn't reaching up onto his head to try and remove a certain pest.

"Aw, Plusie has an idea!" said Burgundy, turning to Emile. "Emile! Tell Lombre to use Razor Leaf! We're gonna make Kayla and all those Coordinators jealous with this one!"

Emile groaned. Coordinators used moves that were pretty. Burgundy liked pretty things. Pretty things didn't win battles…against his better judgment, he caved. "Fine. Lombre…do it…"

Lombre launched the sword-sharp leaves from tis head. And, as luck would have it, Plusle had hitched a ride on one, cheering as she went around and around and around.

"Okay, Plusle, Spark!"

Plusle electrified the leaf, turning it into a bright yellow sizzling boomerang of energy. It collided with Numel, taking the weary Pokémon out of the fight for food. When the small cloud of black smoke faded, Plusle stumbled out, the world spinning.

"Plusle pluuuuuh…" _Let's do it again…_

"Boss, this is gettin' bad!" cried one of the Magma grunts in desperation, returning Zubat to its Pokéball. "We gotta spilt!"

Hank didn't turn away from Will, Wes, and the cloud of steam on their side of the battlefield, but Burgundy could tell he knew how grave his position was. His shoulders tensed, and his fists clenched. "I know…" he growled. He turned to Courtney, and mumbled something into her ear. She smiled and nodded.

…

I couldn't see it. But I could sense it. Somewhere in that soupy fog, Mightyena was prowling, waiting to strike. Well, that Omnipresence thing Aria taught me is finally payin' off…

I could sense it, but my skills would only go so far. They weren't sharp enough to detect when Mightyena would strike, and it would.

"Maker!" said Zip, floating down from wherever he had spent the course of the battle. "I noticed your need for targeting assistance. Might I be able to help?"

"Uh…yeah, Zip. Sure." I didn't take my eyes off of the steam cloud, which apparently didn't give Zip any indication on what I wanted him to do. "Uh…how does that work?"

"Well, if I was to receive a constant flow of electricity, say, from Organic CJ comma Kirlia, I could use my targeting systems to approximate the enemies position, and attack."

I nodded. "Sounds good." I knelt down in front of CJ, who was still a little battered and bruised. "How about it? Feelin' good?"

"Kir-li!" She nodded. I grinned and stood back up.

"That's what I like to hear! Make it so, guys!"

CJ adopted her ready position, pooling all of her static energy into a barrier around her. But this time, instead of launching it with outstretched arms, she slowly lowered her arms to the position where she usually puts them when Teleporting, except they weren't touching her body. She began to tremble.

Then, her horns sparked. Out of nowhere, several strands of lightning erupted from her horns, flowing into Zip's magnets. Zip turned his eye reticle towards the steam, and pointed his magnets at it like guns. And waited.

The air was silent for a brief second, before Zip beeped twice. "Target sighted. Firing." A small blue ball of energy appeared before Zip, and in the split second of its existence, it exploded into a beam of energy, raw and pure.

The mist was completely lifted, but enough light was given off to see that Mightyena had been knocked back completely. Zip's plan had worked.

But before we could work, the FireHeads launched their attack, ordering both of their Pokémon to use the fire attacks they had displayed previously.

I reacted the logical way. "Skipper, Water Gun!"

I walked right into their trap.

The water and fire collided, instantly exploding into another cloud of steam, this one far bigger than the last, blanketing the whole other side of the field, an wrapping around Wes and I.

I heard the shuffle of feet on the cave floor, a shriek of surprise, and then more footsteps.

"Will!" I heard Burgundy cry. "Are you alright!?"

"I'm fine! What's happening?"

"I-I dunno!"

Not thinking for myself, just for the safety of my friends, I dashed forward through the mist, tripping right over the Magma grunts on the ground. I felt forward, saving myself with my elbows, but scarping them up something awful.

Wes, Zip, Skipper, Aron and CJ followed, entering my limited field of vision. I saw Burgundy come up on my right, and Emile as well, helping me to my feet.

We stared down with looks of discontent at the grunts before us. The grinned up at us nervously. One even managed a wave.

The one who waved was the one who was holding the meteor.

And it was gone.

"Wha-…where did the meteor go!" shouted Burgundy, stomping her foot on the ground. The grunts flinched and huddled together. I chuckled. Rightfully so. They had no idea how Burgundy could be when provoked.

"We bust our butts kicking yours, and then you just lose the meteor!?"

"I f-felt someone grab for the meteor, and then shove me to the ground," stuttered the nervous grunt, honest-to-Arceus shaking before Burgundy. By the looks of it, he was a few seconds away from kissing her feet and begging for mercy…

"Actually, I felt girlishly long nails scrape my arm," he added, putting a finger on his chin.

"Courtney betrayed us!?" shouted another, this one female. "B-but why would she!? O-our goal…And she said we were BFFs!"

"Maybe you could use your one phone call to straighten things out," said Wes with a smug grin on his face, crossing his arm.

"One phone call…what do you…no!" She tried to crawl backwards and get away, but Skipper was there to stop her. "No! N-no, no, please! You can't send me to-"

Burgundy nodded. "Mm-hm. That's right, Missy. You're going to jail."

"B-but I'm too pretty to go to jail!"

"Maybe if you be a good girl and admit that you stole the meteor to Sheriff Jenny, I'll try and swing you a reduced sentence," said Emile, trying to be the Good Cop, and doing a darned good job at it. "In fact, if you tell us Team Magma's plans, maybe you'll even just get community service."

The girl began to hyperventilate, folding her hands on her chest. "W-well-"

"Not right now!" said Wes, holding up a hand. I couldn't help but crack I smile. We never got to see Rocket grunts squirming (well, except for those times that we did. My point is, watching villains be at your mercy is fun!)

I looked around as the mist began to slowly fade. At first, I was relieved at my renewed visibility. But then I saw them. Swarms of them.

They were floating rock Pokémon. Some were brown and shaped like crescents with beaks. Some were red and shaped like suns, with carved spikes coming out of their sides. They all looked angry.

"I think they want their meteor back," mumbled Wes out of the corner of his mouth, careful not to make any sudden movements. The rest of us froze as well.

"B-but we don't have it!" stammered a male grunt.

The female grunt gulped, and held out her arms. "You can take me to jail now."

I fumbled for Dex, holding him out and pressing the button. All of my Pokémon were weakened, and we needed any advantage we could get.

Dex wouldn't turn on.

"Oh, come on!" I cried angrily, slapping my Pokédex and trying to pry it open. "I charge it every night! How come it just peters out like this all the time!?"

"Will," whispered Burgundy. "Here they come! You're gonna have to pull one heck of a Bunneary out of your hat this time!"

I slouched my shoulders, admittedly a bit demoralized. "Yeah, I've already pulled three out today. Probably not gonna work again."

…

"And, once again, Genesis proves that she does not have a promising future in the field of cartography!" Neo smiled sarcastically and applauded. They had reached the edge of a roaring waterfall, and now needed a way down to the caves below.

Genesis punched him in the arm. "We don't have a map, remember? And how am I supposed to-" She stopped, the breath sucked out of her. She stumbled, a massive migraine overtaking her.

Neo rushed to help her, but was overtaken with the same sensation. "Wha-what's happening!?"

Genesis plopped on the ground, an unbearable pain overtaking her skull, rattling around like a swarm of Beedrill. She let out no scream, however. The pain seemed familiar. Welcome.

And it was then in his dizzy spinning that Neo noticed her. That feeling that he was being watched. Spot on. He had just caught a glimpse of their pursuer.

Fighting to steady himself (and to vomit), he turned towards the person he had seen. "We know you're there! Come out so we can see you!"

Genesis groaned, and slowly got to her feet. "Neo, what-" She stopped when she saw her.

Walking towards them was a girl, about sixteen, wearing the uniform of an Oblivia Ranger. She had red eyes that would burn through those of weaker minds. But when her fiery reds met Neo's vibrant greens, they seemed to merge, not clash.

Skye bit her lip. She had been told she'd be tracking and facing down four menaces to the world, people who would cause its eruption into chaos. Instead, she faced two confused, and scared, looking teenagers, a bit older than she.

She didn't want to kill them. She didn't think she'd have to.

Just in case though, she put a hand on her Styler, strapped to her arms.

"We have no quarrel with you, Ranger," said Genesis calmly, taking a deep breath. "We simply wish to find out way."

Neo began to slowly walk to the side, placing himself in between Skye and Genesis. Wanting to protect his companion…another sign of a heart.

"Listen…this must be some sort of misunderstanding," said Skye, lowering her arm as a sign of friendship. Her guard was lowered, but Neo's wasn't. A Top Ranger in Hoenn? She here for something…

"This may sound weird, but we should sit down and talk." The Ranger's tone was genuine, yet cautious. "I won't lead you anywhere; we'll go on your terms."

Neo was about to protest, when Genesis put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's hear her out," she whispered, her soft voice tickling Neo's ears. "She could help us."

Neo was silent for a moment, his steely gaze still shining on Skye. He breathed out.

"Fine. Let's go."

Meanwhile, behind a rock a few yards back, or rather, above, Venom peeked out from behind her perch between two stalactites. That's right, the ones on the ceiling. Her muscular legs acted as a fulcrum to keep her suspended up there.

She licked her lips. A new player had emerged in this game. New players always made it more fun.

Now it was decision time. Did she report back to Shear, or tell her boss. The stakes were getting higher, and the Queen of the Brotherhood loved a high-stakes game. It was the only kind she ever played.

And she never lost.

* * *

**Anyway, I have a horrible memory, and have the feeling I wanted t say something, but forgot. I mean, seriously, I guess this is kinda like a TrainerNaps Trivia, but Lanette's short term memory loss is based off of me. So, if I remember, I'll facepalm and try to remember again...**

**Anyway, Reader Question time! I've been thinking far into the future of the series, namely the Unova arc, and have had some great ideas. Not just for that, but for the Sinnoh arc too. My question is: what would your opinion of Amanda (Will's archaeologist/paleontologist friend for school) having a bigger role in the series. There are some cool things I could use her for, and couldn't do without (not love-interest stuff, but ancient stuff as she's an archaeologist, if you catch my drift). So, what would you guys think! **

**Words, combine to form Voltron Cliffhanger!**

**Will and Co find themselves surrounded by an army of cave Pokemon, looking for the missing meteorite that they no longer have! How will these angry aliens be appeased? And what will Genesis, Neo, and Skye have to say to each other? And what of Venom...all this and more, coming up! Stay tuned!**


	37. Chapter 37: Recon Unit L-13

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Team Magma, Team Aqua, and Team Grey race to the Meteor Falls, each side hopeing to gain an advantage over the other. Will and Zip make their own way, but find that two Team Magma admins, known as FireHeads have beat them: Hank and Courtney(previously Marina). Not to shortly after, Team Aqua arrives, along with theg runts who stole the meteor, and Burgundy Wes and Emile. A great battle ensues, with the Fireheads making their escape with the meteor. Team Grey managed to subdue the remaining grunts, but were interrupted by a swarm of angry cave Pokemon. Will their Pokemon be able to fight in their weakened state? And what of Skye, Neo and Genesis? Find out soon-ish or now, depending on which question you want answered!**

"Loooon," hummed the crescent shaped Pokémon as they rotated around us.

"Soooooool," groaned the sun shaped ones as they did the same.

None of us had ever encountered these things in the wild, and so we barely had any knowledge of what they were, much less what they do. And that fact that they're all faceless rocks makes it kinda hard to read expressions, though it was pretty obvious that they were angry. And Dex wasn't being of any particular usefulness…

I looked over at Skipper and CJ. They were both covered in scratches and bruises. CJ was even bleeding, violet blood dripping from a few of her wounds. They'd be of no help. I recalled them giving them a well-deserved rest.

They were clearly Rock-Types, meaning Grunt of Skarmory would be effective. But Skarmory was weak, outwards of being completely disobedient and reckless, which would do him no justice against a coordinated swarm of these things.

And Grunt would never be able to reach one of those things with an attack. His stout little body just wouldn't allow it. Plus, floating rocks gave a good indication of a Psychic of Ghost subtype, further encouraging me to not use Grunt.

I bit my lip. There was no way we could take on these things with my power, let alone the power our Pokémon had left.

But there was one power left. One that, in my life, remains vastly untapped and ignored. The power of math!

"Maker!" Zip floated slowly down to my shoulder in order to pitch me his idea. "I have a plan I think you will like…"

"Zip, the floor is all yours," I said in a monotone voice, my eyes not leaving the creatures surrounding us.

"If I were to use a Gyro Ball attack, and continue on with the correct targeting feeds and velocity…I could potentially remove all threats."

"No it," I said without a second thought. Zip nodded, and began to float slowly upwards.

"What is he doing!?" hissed Burgundy.

"I have absolutely no idea," I replied. Well, Zip had something, which was one more idea than any of us others had.

His computer mind sparked with activity as he began to complex algebra involved in this miracle move. If only this cave hadn't blocked his satellite uplink, which could've helped him astronomically. But, it looked like he was stuck doing it the old fashioned way: infrared target scanning.

"Let's see…time goes on the X axis, velocity on the Y…carry the two, divide by pi…area equals base times the height…"

What he was saying made not one iota of sense to me. I never was good at math.

And then he leaned back, moving slowly through the air, and then shot forward, spinning like a top. He made contact with the first target, bouncing straight into the opposite direction. He hit another, and then flew back down, hit the ground, bounced off a rock, and then flew back into the fray.

And I kid you not, once he began to bounce off of enemies at a very high frequency, I swear I heard pinball sound effects.

The rock Pokémon fell to the ground like rain, the ones remaining trying to take evasive actions, or firing dazzling attacks at their own at the ever-increasing-in-speed Zip. But he was too fast, and the mysterious power of algebra was too great for the Pokémon.

The few remaining moaned and retreated, giving up on their attack, and flying into the depths of the cave. Zip spun in the air for a bit longer, before regaining his composure. Once he was set, he simply drifted back down.

"Did I satisfy you, Maker?"

I gazed around at the piles of unconscious cave Pokémon. "Uh…yeah…"

I then noticed one grunt was missing from the trio we had just captured: the female. I glanced frantically around the cavern, before finally noticing her, trying to crawl away unnoticed.

Before I could even attempt at stopping her, verbally or otherwise, an unconscious crescent-shaped Pokémon plopped right down on her back. She shrieked, and fell to the ground after her arms gave out.

I walked slowly to her, taking my sweet old time and savoring the victory. I heaved the Pokémon off of her back, and just as she jolted trying to escape again, I planted my foot on her back. She whimpered and gave up.

"What's the matter, Magma?" I asked in a condescending tone. "Get too…_hot _for you?"

"Boo!" cried Burgundy from across the cavern. I didn't bother shooting her a look.

Wes laughed. "Alright, come on. Let's get Flannery out of the slammer."

…

We had tied up the Magma grunts with some rope (being a Ranger, Emile couldn't go anywhere without it. You know, in case he caught a bad guy and wanted to give him a decent chance at escape. Seriously, I'm never gonna stop making fun of Ranger logic. Pleasedon'ttellJuno…)

Each of us held on tightly to the coil going around the back of one of the grunts. I chose to guard the female, as she seemed the most eager out of most of them to escape. She must know something…

Anyway, we had called Sheriff Jenny and told her to come to Lanette's house to pick up the recently captured Magmas, as well as the Aquas who were subdued by Zip and Skarmory earlier. It was getting dark anyway, and none of us wanted to fumble around with criminals trying to find our way back to town.

Lanette's house was now in sight. Light poured out of the windows, as well as the gaping hole where the door used to be. In fact, I could see the wooden rectangle a few yards in front of the house, a small trail of wooden planks and other debris dotting the path.

But as I approached, I heard a loud crash, followed by a growl.

"What was that?" whispered Burgundy, looking over her shoulder. I sighed, continuing my current pace.

"Friend of mine."

Wes shook his head and followed me, walking past a still stunned Burgundy. "Will, you have the weirdest adventures when we're not around."

My response was interrupted from a nervous squeak, hailing from Lanette's house. "No, please don't-" CRASH!, "-okay…that's alright, I didn't use that one anyway. But wait, not the-" SMASH!

I groaned, releasing my grip from the captive. "Watch her!" I barked at Emile, running to the building.

I stopped in front of the hole in the front, sliding a few inches before I came to a stop. Stumbling towards the exit was Zangoose, all of his injuries still fresh, bandages still applied. Every once in a while he'd falter, using a desk as balance, and swiping whatever was on the table onto the floor.

Behind him stood Lanette, chewing on her nails, shakily raising her hand to protest, but inevitably pulling it back once Zangoose destroyed something else.

"GRAH!" cried Zangoose, stumbling forward a few steps, before falling and catching himself on the ground with his arm. Not afraid of injury to myself, I ran to Zangoose, putting a hand on his shoulder and getting down on one knee.

"Zangoose, stop! You're injured! Do you want to make these wounds go away or not? You could reopen your cuts!"

"Grrrrr…" _Blood must be spilled to reach my goal. Whether or not that blood is my own matters not…_

I could feel the hate emanating from him; the desire for heads to roll. He had lost something to that particular Seviper. It was more than just the genetic rivalry between the two species.

I leaned my head down, and waited for him to look me in the eyes. His piercing yellow eyes, which usually struck fear into the hearts of his enemies, met the chaotic walls inside my blue eyes. His attack was swept up by the storm.

"Listen," I growled in a low tone. Zangoose's breaths became less forced and more even, as if he were less angry at my presence. "You want revenge. I get that! I know where that Seviper went. I know who it's with, and I can take you there. You can take back from it what it took from you."

Zangoose snarled, reluctantly agreeing with me. I stood back up, taking out the Pokéball I had recently captured it in. "So, is that a yes or a no for coming with?"

Zangoose nodded, and sat down peacefully. I took that as a yes, and returned him to his Pokéball.

Lanette rushed over to me, her mouth nearly bursting with everything she had to say.

"Mmmmm…ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! IusedtobeagirlscoutsoIknewhowtotieupthosebadguysbu ttheydidn'twakebackupthey'renotdeadthough. IstoppedbeingagirlscoutwhenIgotstungthisonetimeand thenIfellintopoisonivyandtriedtowashitoffinariverw hichjustmadeitworseitwasreallyitchy. AnywayZangoosegotbackupandhelookedbetterbuthewasn' the'sstilhurtand-rmhhmmhhmhm-"

I put a hand on her lips, and she kept going for a few more seconds, although her voice was blocked. I removed my finger, and she took in a deep breath. "Wow! Are these guys your friends? Does that mean they're my friends!?"

She ran over to the other guys, asking them all sorts of questions and darting from one person to another. What's more, she even started to ask the _grunts _questions!

"That uniform looks itchy, is it itchy?"

"What does the 'M' stand for? Did you go to Disney Land!? Is that a Mickey Miccino shirt!?"

"Why are you tied up, is this a game? Can I play?"

The female grunt whimpered and looked up at Emile. "Can I go to jail now?"

As if right one cue, Sheriff Jenny and her two deputies dashed into the room, pistols in hand. The moved in quickly and…uh…secured the situation.

"Everyone free-…uh…alright…I guess that makes our jobs easier…"said one of the deputies, holstering his weapon. Sheriff Jenny slapped him upside the head.

"Take your weapon back out, Officer! Never let your guard down! For all we know, this could be a trap! The Trainers could be in league with them!"

"Actually, Miss Jenny," piped Lanette, raising her hand to make herself noticed. "Um, they're my friends, and they're super nice. Please don't put them in jail…"

Sheriff Jenny, who by reputation I knew to be a strong, steely woman, did something I never expected her to do. She bit her lip and lowered her gun, and walked over to Lanette with a look of concern on her face. I could tell her and the other officers made it a point to watch out for her, as loneliness and isolation could do terrible things to a person.

"It's alright, Lanette," she said in a motherly tone. "We know they're the good guys. I'm glad you made some great friends."

"Yeah, I know!" Lanette went on to talk about how I had promised to be her "BFF" and that I had saved her. That warmed my heart. In fact, it cleared the clouds surrounding my mind, making me notice they were there in the first place.

I had been bloodthirsty in that cave! I wanted to take everyone _down_! Heck, I encouraged Zangoose to get revenge! What was wrong with me…?

I shook myself back to reality again as a panting man in a lab coat reached the door…hole, I guess. He put his hands on his knees, bent over panting.

"Sheriff…Jenny…didn't wait for me…"

Burgundy walked slowly over to the man, biting her lip, and folding her hands awkwardly behind her back when she got to him. He looked up at her hopefully. She frowned and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Professor Cosmo. We…uh…we couldn't get the meteor back…"

"Oh…well, that's okay…" he said monotone, looking down at his feet. He had just lost a lot of his life's work, and that meteor could've been a credit to his career. Oh well…maybe this was one of those "horoscope" signs that his sister was always talking about…

"I-In any case," he said, forcing a smile and brushing off his lab coat as he walked forward. "Sheriff Jenny, I can with full confidence say that these were the criminals who broke into my house and stole my meteor!" He pointed at the Magma grunts. The two males looked away. The female gulped and shivered as Sheriff Jenny moved towards her, her eyes piercing into the grunt's soul.

Sheriff Jenny grabbed the grunt by the chin, slowly bringing her own eyes to bear on the younger girl's. "Strirrin' up trouble in my town, huh? You'd better have some good intel on that Team Magma to barter with. If not, I'll make sure you go away for a long, long time."

"B-but theft isn't worth a life sentence," stuttered the grunt, trying to oust Sheriff Jenny.

"You think so, eh? Well, my sister happens to be the warden of Slateport City Women's Prison." She leaned in close and whispered the next part. No, she hissed it, like a sorceress spitting an incantation or a curse. "_We get along pretty well_."

That was enough for one day. The grunt's eyes rolled up in her head, and she slumped down in Wes's arms.

Sheriff Jenny grabbed the rope around her, and with amazing (and quite unexpected) strength, hefted the grunt up over her shoulder. She motioned to the Aqua's, who were herded up by one, and the remaining two Magma's, still conscious and able to walk, were ushered away by the remaining cop.

"Well, I guess that pretty much exonerates the Gym Leader," said Sheriff Jenny with no shame or disdain as she walked away. "We'll let her out as soon as we get back to town." Burgundy was disappointed; she hadn't gotten to see the sheriff have to swallow her pride and apologize.

She shrugged. "Well, the night is still young."

Meanwhile, Cosmo once again caught himself staring at Lanette. But this time, she had caught him too. As he looked away swiftly and started to scratch the back of his head and pretend he hadn't been looking, he part-turned, and was startled to see her approaching.

"Hi!" she chirped happily when she reached him. "I'm Lanette! What's your name?"

"G-Greg…"he stammered, shying away a bit more.

"Do I have something on my face?" she asked, wondering why he had been constantly looking at her. "Is my hair messy? I didn't really have time to do it this morning, but-"

"No!" he stopped her before she could go into one of her mini rants. As a matter of fact, they were full on rants. That was partly because she never had anyone to talk to, and kept these things bottled up. But, maybe she'd be able to catch up on having things to say.

"I-It's just that…I think you're really pretty…"

"Oh, thank you!"

"A-and…I was wondering…if maybe you wanted to go and get some dinner or something?"

"Sure!" She linked arms with him. He was about to break into a cold sweat, but realizing that she had agreed to this as much as he…he relaxed.

"I'll pay for dinner, and-"

"No, no, trust me, Greg. I can pay!"

The two new acquaintances walked through Lanette's destroyed house, and towards town. Looks like a change of plans for Lanette: cancel the bath, ice cream and anime for tonight.

…

The Magnemite watched as the Trainers, criminals, and scientist walked down the path to Fallarbor Town. However, they were of no particular interest. What really caught his reticle was the Magnemite floating besides the tall Trainer with the hat.

That was the one he was looking for.

"Logged," he said as he turned and flew back to the east. "I have located the rogue unit Z-19. Recon Unit L-13, returning to New Mauville."

**Sorry I couldn't update yesterday. It was really hectic and stuff...like I said, coming week might turn out that way.**

**Anyway, as a response to something someone said in a review, I'm glad my stories make you happy! It gives me all the more reason to not only keep up my frequency of updates, but put even more effort in!**

**Speaking of my writing and emotions, I'm sorry if my emotions kinda...flow into what I'm writing. I mean, at some points, being able to pour your own feeling into a character is great, but not when you're feeling the opposite of what they are. That caused...several revisions during happier parts. I don't wanna drove on about my problems, but let's just say that TrainerNaps is at a very confusing and troubling stage in his life, and some people aren't being very nice to TrainerNaps, and his hormones are walking around his brain like they own the place.**

**Anyway, happier notes! I have literally all day to type, so I shouldn't fall behind. I might double update, too, because I feel like my schedule cheated you out of a chapter yesterday.**

**Also, one of my local game stores hosts a Pokemon tournament whenever a new game is coming out, and they're having one for X and Y this summer. As of today, I have officially begun training a new team! Not to brag, but my last one was pretty effective, and rightfully so as I came in 3rd place, which is something I'm not ashamed to say I'm proud of (some people beg to differ, but those are the people I ignore). I'll still be using some of my old favorites, so look out tournament! TrainerNaps is comin back!**

**Alright, enough nonsense! Reader Question time! This isn't exactly a Pokemon-related question, but it's one I like asking.**

**You're outside for whatever reason, when all of a sudden an alien starship lands in front of you. The aliens inside get out and inform you that you're not actually a human, but a member of their race sent to Earth to escape a bloody civil war on you're homeworld, and that you are the only one that can save it. But they also let you know that this is the last working starship of their people; it only has enough fuel to return to your planet, and it may take years to make repairs after the war. Do you stay or go? And what do you do when doing either/or.**

**Unit L-13: It is recommended that you review **


	38. Chapter 38: Vendetta, Among Other Names

**Previously on Revelations:**

**After being confronted with a horde of Solrock and Lunatone, Zip managed to save the day using the vastly untapped powers of math. The Team left Meteor Falls with their Team Magma captives, and found that Zangoose had woken up at Lanette's house, and was making a bigger mess of the place. Will managed to calm him down, promising him revenge on Seviper, who he knows is now with Courtney of the FireHead Trio. Sheriff Jenny arrives and arrests the Magma and Aqua grunts, and promises to finally release Flannery after Cosmo testifies that the grunts were indeed the true thieves. After pairing up with Lanette for a date, Cosmo returns with the team to Fallarbor Town. Unbeknownst to them, they are being watched by a strange Magnemite. Who is Unit L-13? Why is he following them? And what will the Magma grunts reveal about Team Magma's plan for the meteor? All that and more, comin' up!**

Neo was careful not to let the flames climb too high. The fire needed to be big enough to provide head. After all, that's what fires were for, but if it grew too large, it may attract unwanted attention.

Not that they hadn't already. Though it was yet up in the air whether or not the Ranger's attention would prove unwanted.

"So," she said, sitting down on a rock and crossing her legs, "Start from the top."

Genesis looked at her brother, confused. "The top of what?" she asked the Ranger. At first, Skye just thought she was stalling. But the innocent look on her face proved otherwise.

"Well…everything, I guess."

"Okay, I guess. There's not that much to tell. Our memory only goes back a few days, after all…" Genesis looked down at her feet. Something was troubling her. Neo decided to take over.

"We were created by our father to bring these to a location called Pt. Pyre," he said, holding up the canister containing the Red Orb.

"That's it?"

"That's what?" asked Neo. She wasn't exactly speaking in riddles, but the Ranger's vague comments were a little confusing.

"That's all you were created for? I mean, it costs millions to clone Pokémon, and that's always for some sort of monumental purpose like repopulation or some collector. But creating human life to run an errand? That doesn't make sense, on top of it being impossible…"

"Impossible?" asked Genesis. She wasn't stupid, but her eagerness to have little questions answered was almost little-girl esque. Skye guessed the whole "Pretty-much-born-yesterday" thing wasn't a lie…

"Yeah, I mean, human tissue has been cloned before, but they've never been able to get a body's systems fired up. You know, the heart, the brain. They can't _make _souls, essentially." Skye leaned forward. "So, where did they get yours…?"

"Beats us," said Neo, shrugging. "But, if it's any help to you, we have these…flashes. These shadows of memories…they…" He struggled to figure out the correct word.

"They haunt us," said Genesis, unblinking and cryptic. They were all silent for a moment.

Skye bit her lip. Specter had sent her here to kill these people. Apparently, they housed some sort of dangerous spirit inside them from the orbs, and that was going to cause major problems for the world…

She hadn't even found the other two yet! And if these two were kindhearted, almost innocent teenagers, what would the other two be? Preschoolers? Skye was a lot of things, but she wasn't a killer…

Were these orbs feeding right off of their life forces, and they didn't even know it? Is that why something bad will happen?

That has to be it. That has to be the other way. Maybe if she helped them return the orbs to Mt. Pyre…yes, that would fix it.

That had to. Or else Skye was gonna have to do some stuff she really didn't want to.

…

A sat at my usual spot in the Pokémon Center, applying three new labels to two Pokéballs and a Great Ball; my new record of three Pokémon captured.

The first one, the Great Ball, contained Skarmory. Or should I say, Grimlock. I thought that was a fitting name for a…well, for Skarmory.

The second, the ball containing Slugma, was labeled "Torch." Again, a fitting name for such a Pokémon. I guess I should stop saying that. If they weren't fitting names, I wouldn't have given it to them…

And finally, Vendetta, my Zangoose. His drive for nothing but revenge made that a good match for him, plus the fact that the markings on his body looked kinda of like "V"s.

Just as I began to put my stuff away, Flannery sat down next to me, her red hair still wet and stringy from her shower. She wore a fluffy pink red bathrobe, and sighed as she put her bare feet up on the coffee table.

"You know, you never to appreciate the little things until you get sent to the joint. It changes a girl, ya know."

I snorted. "Yeah. Those two and a half hours must've been pretty hard-core."

"For a smokin'-hot babe like me, every minute was just an accident waiting to happen!"

We both laughed, and I finished putting my stuff away, leaning back and relaxing with Flannery.

"You're gonna challenge my Gym soon, right?" she asked, nudging me with her elbow. I nodded.

"Yeah. I was originally gonna come right there, after a short detour around the desert, but…well…I may or may not be scarred for life now."

"Do tell," she said with a laugh. I shivered, briefly recalling the swarms of Trapinch climbing all over me, ending any hope of me ever feeling safe inside my own body every again. Well, Aria kinda ended that, but that's beside the point.

"I…uh…hey, I wonder what's on TV!" I leaned forward to grab the remote, but she gripped my wrist and forced me back.

"Not just yet, Grey!"

"But, I really don't-"

"Not before I thank you for what you did. That was…well, let's just say that there aren't a lot of people in my life…or who _were _in my life…who would do that…"

I nodded, remembering Flannery's troubled past. She came from a broken home; her mother and father would constantly fight. The main reason she'd actually come to Viridian City for the summer was because her grandfather was smart enough to know she needed to get away from that. Bless that man.

Anyway, her father eventually got fed up and left. Flannery was strong; she dealt with it without really breaking down that much. Her mother on the other hand reacted differently. She had been one of those people who got into an abusive relationship in the first place because that particular person had at first given them some amount of self-worth, but then didn't really have the sense (or strength) to break away. Once Flannery's father left…well, she left to.

But not in the way her husband did.

I put my arm around Flannery and pulled her a little closer. "Hey, eight more times and we're even, right?"

That brought her out of her previous state of sorrow. "You know, most of those times, you just had food on your face."

I laughed and pushed her away. "Still, you kept the magnet runnin'." I turned my face at an angle and winked. She laughed even harder this time. "I've got one nasty positive charge, you know!"

Flannery burst into laughter, having thought of a joke of her own. Mine died down a bit, and I sweatdropped as I waited for her joke to come out. "T-those girls-tehehehe-must've-snort-had a positive c-charge too! BWAHAHAHAHA!"

"Ehehe…yeah…"

"Guys, come on!" We both flipped around as Emile burst into the lobby, throwing on his jacket and dashing towards the door. "Sheriff Jenny just called! She said that the Magma grunts cracked! They have vital information!"

…

Emile, Flannery, Wes and I burst into the Sheriff's Department. Burgundy had gone to bed or something. I dunno, girly stuff, I really didn't care.

The teenager behind the front counter looked up lazily and noticed us coming. "Take the door to the left," she moaned, looking back down at her magazine.

Yanking the door open, I dashed down the hall, seeing a few doors on my sides, but only one with lights on: the last one. I heard the sound of shoes making contact with the polished floors, but also, skin.

"Flannery, did you even put shoes on?" I asked between breaths, not even turning to look.

"No," came the response after a few breaths, "Why would I?"

I shook my head and chuckled as we reached the end of the hallway, and I almost threw my arm out of its socket trying to yank open the locked door.

Rubbing my shoulder and sweatdropping, I settled on simply knocking. I heard a few grumbled, a click, and was greeted by the stern (and somewhat annoyed) face of Sheriff Jenny. Behind her, as a plain oak table, sat the female grunt, nervously drumming her fingers on the table.

Sheriff Jenny stepped out, shutting and locking the door behind her. She started walking, implying she wanted us to come as well. After all, a woman who took her job as serious as Sheriff Jenny wouldn't just call us down here for nothing.

"What did she say?" asked Emile, trying to catch up and look her in the eyes. She stared forward, her solid expression not fading.

"You know, for a Gym Leader, you're really not making a good first impression," said Sheriff Jenny, still staring ahead and addressing Flannery at the same time. "I call you down here, and you come in a bathrobe."

"Tch, you should be talk about 'first impressions!'" yelled Flannery, stopping and shaking her fist. "You threw me in jail!" Sheriff Jenny had nothing more to say; she just kept walking. Flannery ran up in front of her and began to backpedal.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you! I-GWAH!" She tripped and fell on her back, and Sheriff Jenny simply walked on past her. She pushed open the door and walked back into he main lobby, picking up a stack of papers.

"That grunt cracked the second I sat in my chair," she said, not looking up from the papers she was organizing in a stack. "She didn't know what they were doing with it, but the meteor is being taken to the top of Mount Chimney."

"How do you know she wasn't lying?" snapped Flannery, crossing her arms. Still, Sheriff Jenny didn't look away from her papers. She folded the stack under her arm, and walked over to the video phone station.

"She was a pathetic weakling. Once all of her advantages had been taken down-"

"You're welcome," I added, honestly a bit fed up with her attitude.

"-she was desperate to save her petty skin. She was pretty much as valuable here as she was in that organization: not much. She was at the lowest rung. She told us everything she knew."

Flannery hit her fist into her palm like a hammer hitting a nail. "I _knew _one of those organizations had something to do with the cable car holdup…"

"That's why I'm calling in backup. _My own _backup." She put an extra emphasis on "my own" as she began to dial a number. "A gang war is no place for kids."

"First of all, this isn't a 'gang war'," I said, walking up next to the Sheriff. Unsurprisingly, she paid me no mind. "If we let this wing out of control, this'll become a _real _war. A secret organization doesn't steal a priceless space rock just to brighten up a room. They have something planned. Something _big_."

She slammed the phone down. "Which is why you kids are going to stay here, in town, until this blows over."

"But-"

I could hear Sheriff Jenny inhale, and see her shoulders rise, and prepared for a tongue-lashing. But it never came. Instead, a regular honking began to sound out from the phone. Jenny leaned in, taking a closer look.

"That's odd…the signal's jammed…"

"Jammed? Jammed by what?" I wished Kelci was here; she'd know what to do.

"It can't be Team Magma or Team Aqua…we have satellite connection, not a Wireless Tower like Oblivia…"

"Terrible idea, if I may add," said Wes with a grin.

Jenny puffed, hanging up the phone and walking over to a key hook. She picked up a set of keys, and began to walk over to the door. "Judy, take all my calls. Tell Jonsky he's in charge until I get back. You kids, you're coming with me."

Flannery rolled her eyes. "Oh, so _now _you want us to come?"

"_Now _I don't have any backup. Which is why I need any help I can get, which is you."

"Then why not take your officers?"

"I can't leave the town undefended. Now are you going to argue, or are you going to go and get dressed so we can go."

Flannery grumbled something about a "blue headed witch" and proceeded out the door. I followed her, having to do something as well before we left.

…

"Hello, Will! How are you?" I was greeted by the friendly face of Daisy Oak, Professor Oak's granddaughter, and Wes's cousin. She often answered the video phone when I called.

"I'm good, Daisy. You?"

"Oh, I'm doing well. Anyway, can I help you?"

"Yeah, I just caught my seventh Hoenn Pokémon…well, technically my eighth, but I don't keep one in a Pokéball. I'm sending back my Zangoose. He goes by Vendetta."

"Oh, he sounds feisty."

I sweatdropped. "Yeah, he can be a little…erm, determined. But he's really nice once you get to know him." _I can't wait to get to know him… _"Anyway, just tell your grandfather to watch out for him…"

"Okay! I'll tell him as soon as he gets back!"

"Back from where?"

'He's in Lavaridge Town at the moment. Aren't you going there next?"

"Yeah, I…uh…why is he there? I-If you don't mind me asking, that is?"

"No, it's no big deal," she smiled and waved her hand, before her expression drooped a bit and she bit her lip. "Actually, it's about your Arcanine…"

I leaned forward, gripping the video console. "WHAT!?"

"Calm down, calm down!" She waved her hands in a downward motion, but I wasn't going for that. Why hadn't I been informed that there was something wrong with one of _my _Pokémon!? _My _friends!

"W-what's wrong with Flash!?"

'That's the thing," she said, almost in a whisper. At first, she had been looking down, but then shook her head and looked me back in the eyes, seeing as I was Flash's Trainer and I deserved as much as eye contact right now. "We don't really know. A colleague of my grandfather's, Nick Fuegen, lives in Lavaridge. He went there so that the two of them could find out what was going on."

_Fuegen…_that's Flannery's grandfather!

I looked down, a thousand and one thoughts swimming through my head. What was wrong? When did it happen? Would my friend be okay? Flash was one of my oldest and most loyal Pokémon. If something happened to him…if this was because of something someone did…

-there would be hell to pay.

I shook my head. There it was again! Why am I so angry all of a sudden…?

"Will?" Daisy's soft and mature voice brought me back to reality. "You _are _going to Lavaridge Town next, right?"

"Uh…yeah…" I scratched the back of my head, still a bit drifting off into space. "Yeah, I'm going there next…after a, um…little detour…"

"Oh, alright! I'll call my grandpa and tell him you're coming! And I'll take good care of Vendetta!" Her eyes nervously darted from side to side, trying to figure out some more good news that could ease my pain.

"Well…I…er…all of your other Pokémon are perfectly healthy! They've started to settle in here at the ranch! Merlin meditates in the rocky areas all day, Jetstream has made some new friends in the other Flying-Types around. Shellshocker, Sarge, and Volcanus have committed themselves to training and helping other Pokémon most of the time…"

I listened intently on the statues update she gave me on all of my partners back at Oak's ranch. I missed them all so much, and couldn't wait until the Hoenn League rolled around so that we could all be together again.

As she rolled down the list, she got to the…troublemaker's of the pack.

"…and Woolie…well, we've been getting complaints from other Pokémon and their Trainer's about Woolie's pranks. His favorite prank is to tap a Pokémon with fur, puffing up their hair with static, and then run away. In fact, the other day he tampered with my hair dryer." She shivered. I didn't want to even ask why. "Basically, I've had to plaster down my hair for the last couple of days…"

I moaned. Classic Woolie. That name may sound weird, but once I found out more about my Ampharos's personality, he just seemed like a "Woolie."

"We've had to keep an eye on Volucris, too. We've tried to settle him in away from most of the Grass-Types. As we all know, Heracross simply cannot resist honey. Some of the Grass-Types enjoy the attention, but…to some, it's a little annoying when a giant bug comes out of nowhere, picks you up, and sucks the nectar out of you, and there's nothing we can do about it."

I groaned as I made a little mental note: When Kayla is around, don't bring Volucris…

"In fact, we've had to escourt out the last few new Trainers who chose Bulbasaur. Volucris has a nasty habit of…well, picking them up, flying into the air, sucks the nectar out, and drops it back into the Trainer's arms, both of them confused."

"What about Moltres?" I asked, wondering how the outwardly rude and…well, firry fire bird was doing.

"Well, it doesn't outright try and bother people…though we have had to put these up for legal reasons," said Daisy, ducking down for a quick second, and holding put a triangular sign. It was yellow, with an exclamation point at the top, and read:

_WARNING!  
IF SIGHTED, DO NOT DISTURB THE MOLTRES!  
IT WILL BURN YOU!_

I moaned and held my head in my hands. "What did he do…?"

"Well, nothing was really his fault, per say. A few Trainers got a little excited when poking around the ranch, and they…violated its personal space."

Moltres was a proud Pokémon, who believed he had absolutely no parallel. While that may not be true I've since found that as long as he is given the respect that he thinks he deserves, he isn't as big a jerk as usual.

Not for nothing though, all Pokémon deserved respect.

"It's a good thing Shellshocker usually shadows Moltres when other Trainers are around," said Daisy. "Or else those kids would be extra-crispy right now."

I sighed. "Yeah…well, thanks, Daisy. Anything else I should know?"

"Hm…no, not that I can-" Daisy shrieked as something small and black leapt onto her, and just as quickly as it came, leapt off.

She felt her breast pocket, and then turned to scowl at the left of the camera. "Peruggia! Give that back!"

"Nyehehehehehe!" came the squeaky response, and Daisy was hit in the face with a few shiny silver pens. She groaned.

"Oh, yeah," she said apathetically, "Did I forget to mention Peruggia?"

"Peruggia," I said in firm tone of voice, crossing my arms. "Don't make me come down to Kanto."

My Sneasel hopped in front of the camera, stuck its tongue out, and then hopped out of sight once again. Daisy flinched and scratched her head as there was a loud crash from off camera, followed by another round of Peruggia's laughter.

"C-can someone get her an icepack?" she asked sheepishly, before turning back to me and forcing a smile. "He's feisty, that's all."

"Why do you keep him in the lab?"

"Well, we used to let him out onto the ranch. But after we did that, things started to go missing in Pallet Town…watches, car keys, anything that shines, really. New Trainers would leave town all proud and happy, and then realize that their badge cases, Pokédexes, and Pokéballs were all missing…Well, it's not really a great consolation, but Peruggia never steals for keeps. He always eventually gave the stuff back; he's really just doing it to prove he can. Be that as it may, some Pokémon get a little more fed up with him then they do with Woolie…and he's not the strongest Pokémon out there…

"So, we keep him in here. He can cause…somewhat less trouble, plus he's not so much a danger to himself." She smiled to herself, remembering a private joke she and most of the other scientist and lab hands kept. "Though, if someone calls our cell-phones and the response is 'Nyehehehehehe!' and then a raspberry, they know to call back later!"

I chuckled to myself, but then returned to the pseudo-parental feeling I had towards my Pokémon. "Okay, but if they give you any trouble-"

"Shellshocker made it clear that if they give any trouble, he'd deal with them on your behalf, so that you wouldn't have to." She grinned and tilted her head. "You know, your connection with that Pokémon is something special. I haven't seen one like that since Red and his Pikachu."

"I know what you mean. We go way back; we've seen more things in our sort time together than most people have gone through in a lifetime. He's like a brother, really. Well, a brother with cannons on his back…"

Daisy nodded. "It's good that we have Trainers like you, Will. I've got to go. I'll tell my grandfather you called!"

"Bye Daisy!" The transmission cut. I turned slowly to return to Sheriff Jenny, but wound up face-to-face with Kayla. I stumbled back, sitting abruptly on the video console.

"That number is not valid," came the synthetic feminine response. "Please hang up and dial again!"

Kayla laughed at my expense as I folded my arms, and expression of mock grumpiness taking form on my face. The laughing continued, until she snorted, and quickly covered her mouth and nose.

It was my turn to laugh now. Even Roselia, who stood at her feet, joined me. Kayla looked embarrassed.

"Alright, alright, can I at least say 'Goodbye' before you laugh at me all the way out of town!?"

Wiping a tear from my eyes, I got up and did my best to put on a serious face. It took a little effort.

"So, you stickin' around town a little longer?"

"Yup." She pointed up to the TV above Nurse Joy's counter, which always displayed the news. Right now, they were covering the Pokémon Contest that was going to occur tomorrow.

I snapped my fingers. "Darn it! I wish I could stay, but-"

"I understand." She opened her arms expectantly, and I embraced her in a friendly hug. "Thanks for the rockin' new partner!"

"Thanks for the blood!"

"Alright," she said, releasing me. "Try not to get into _too much _trouble!"

"What can I say?" I turned back to face her as I walked away, widely shrugging. "Trouble always finds me!"

"I didn't say you couldn't get into _a little,_" she added as I exited the Fallarbor Pokémon Center.

…

Archie's small caravan of jeeps drove at top speeds along the cliff faces overlooking the Desert of Peril. He could have full well just driven along the other side of the desert, bringing him to his destination a bit faster than this way would, but that wasn't the entire plan. Just in case the Magmas decided to abandon ship on this mission, he would leave a few of his men on the only path out to guard.

Archie sat in the passenger seat of one of the jeeps, one of his grunts driving. In his left hand he held his cell phone to his ear; his right hand was plugging his right ear.

"What is it?" came Steven Stone's curt reply.

"Stone, I need a bit of info."

"When do you not? What is it, I'm very busy!"

"One of my SSS guys found out the creator of the Master Ball was a man named Cassius Miles Grey. What's his relation to William Grey? You know, the Trainer who-"

"-who caught Moltres and stopped Team Rocket. Yeah, I know!" Steven put his aching head in his hands. I couldn't even begin to list the times where he'd be at some ball or charity event, and when he began to talk about his climb to corporate success, someone would always beg the question, "Didn't you go to school with William Grey?" From there, his nemesis would steal the conversation, and he was never even present!

"First of all, Cassius Grey's middle name is Leonard. Your men need to listen better. Second, William Grey is his son." Steven's mood was brightened a bit by the prospects that had just come to light.

"You know, William just went through a major revelation. He has a twin sister, you know. Neither of them knew until about a week ago. Are you planning to-"

"Exploit it?" Archie chuckled. "Like heck, I am. I'm thinkin'-"

The line began to crackle and hum. Archie held the phone out to where he could see. Three bars…Stupid Run Away! He knew he should've switched to Virizion Wireless…

"Steven…Steven, can you hear me?"

The line crackled once more, and then died.

"What's causing all this interference!?"

"Uh, sir?" The grunt in the backseat tapped his shoulder, as a massive shadow stretched across the entire caravan. "I-I think that might be the problem…"

**Hooray! For anyone that cares (which may not be a lot of people) The Bureau was just announced! The Bureau is a prequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, which is one of my favorite games of all time! If you like tactical strategy games, or just like blowing aliens up, than you owe it to yourself to play this game! I'm gonna try to not start blabbing about how perfect XCOM is, but you know how I said that I like a story that encourages some amount of thinking at the end, but then it's rewarding once you get it? This game wasn't heavy on story, but when I beat it, and took the time to think about the ending, it was SO REWARDING! They give you just the right amount of clues to figure it out, without completely spoiling it!**

**And for those of you who didn't pick up on it, continuing with the cell phone service parodies, "Run Away" was a parody of Sprint. You know...Run Away...the ability...?**

**Anyway...uh...Pokemans, yeah! Reader Question...and stuff. In my opinion, Pokemon fans have some of the greatest memories and nostalgia in the entire gaming universe. What is your favorite and/or earliest memory with Pokemon? Mine, of course, was that first Squirtle in my first Pokemon game...my first video game, actually...Pokemon LeafGreen...yeah... I had just watched Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back, and the girl in that movie had a Blastoise named Shellshocker, so...you can guess where it went from there.**

** So, answer and review, and cliffhanger! Is cliffhanger a verb...meh, it is what I say it is!**

**Will and Co. have caught a break: they know where Team Magma will strike next: Mt. Chimney. Will they reach it in time? And what was that massive shadow which is causing so much communication disruption...? Find out next time on Chapter 39: The Hierarch Consensus!**

**Aqua Grunt: Bah! My phone wont connect to the Internet! I can't even review...I wish I could though...**


	39. Chapter 39: The Hierarch Consensus

**Previously on Revelations:**

**The Magma grunts reveal during their interrogation that, while the purpose is unknown, that their superiors are taking the stolen meteorite to the top of Mt. Chimney. The gung-ho Team Grey is fully prepared to go, but are forbidden by Sheriff Jenny. But she is forced to change her mind however once she finds out that all communications are being blocked by some mysterious entity. After a brief chat with Daisy Oak when sending Vendetta back to Pallet Town, Will learns that something is wrong with his Arcanine, Flash, and that Professor Oak is with him trying to find out what the problem is in Lavaridged Town. What is up with Flash? What plans does Team Aqua have now that they know Will's relation to Cassius Grey? And what is this strange shadow stretching over Kanto? Find out now! (if not a little later...)**

**I am the very model of a vintage unit Mag-na-mite,**

**This platform is outfitted to store mem-or-ies, as well as fight,**

**If you have a secret for me, by the Maker, it is locked up tight,**

**I am the very model of a vintage unit Mag-na-mite!**

Zip entertained us with his own version of "Modern Major General" as we cruised down the desert back road. The radio really picked a bad day to stop working…Burgundy really needs to pay attention to that next time we're on a road trip and she wants to listen to music.

"Zip, that's enough!" moaned Emile, who was slumped in the passenger seat of the jeep. "I mean, I thought you'd stop at the "Pirate King" one…"

"Oh, Organic Emile comma Area Ranger, rest assured," said Zip, reassuring literally none of us. "I have a playlist full of my Maker's favorite songs and show tunes!"

I groaned. If Zip had a musical backlog of all of my parents' favorite music…this was gonna be a loooooong ride…

"Hey Burgundy," I said to my purple headed companion, who was sitting next to me. "Lemmie know when we're headed towards the desert."

"Why?"

"So I can close my eyes and pretend we're in a city."

She smirked and folded her arms. "You really are afraid of the desert, aren't you?"

"Hey, Skye's afraid of water! You don't make fun of her!"

"Well, I guess that rule out the beach for any future Team Grey outings," Wes added from the back of the jeep, where he had to sit as the seats were all taken up. He had complained pretty much the whole way so far, which had been three hours and counting.

"At least you don't have to sit on the little hump in the middle," whined Burgundy, shifting around for the millionth time, trying to find a comfortable position. "I mean, seriously, we didn't even flip a coin or anything! How come I have to sit here!?"

"Seniority," Flannery and I said at the same time, high-fiving over Burgundy's head. The grumpy connaisseuse slouched and began to pout.

"So, what's the plan," I leaned forward and asked Sheriff Jenny.

"Want the long version or the short version?" she asked, not looking away from her driving. Right there; that was responsible. All the other times she was just being rude…

"Eh, the version in which I fully understand the concept."

"Alright. Long version it is." I leaned back to prepare for "the long version."

"Well go through the Fiery Path; if they've taken over the cable car, they can probably see the whole valley. And if they're expecting us and Team Aqua, than I bet you they'll be watching. So, we go through the path, hit 'em where they least expect it, and then go up and find the meteor. And if we're lucky, their leader as well."

"I heard them refer to him as 'Maxie'," I said, trying to be has helpful as possible. Because right now, it seemed up in the air whether or not Jenny was seriously taking us, or just said that to shut us up and was going to drop us off somewhere 'safe'."

"Does that ring a bell?" asked Wes, leaning over from the back of the jeep. "I mean, Giovanni posed as a Gym Leader as a front for Team Rocket. Could this be the same deal?"

Sheriff Jenny shook her head. "I doubt it; no celebrity or business tycoon I've ever heard of has a name sounding even remotely like 'Maxie', though I do live in one of the most isolated parts of Hoenn…Once we get closer, I'll try calling for confirmation again."

"That reminds me," I started, checking my own Pokégear once again. No signal, just like the other ten times. "Have we figured out what's causing this signal jam yet? Zip?"

"As stated previously, Maker, I am not signal maintenance unit, nor am I a maintenance unit, so I cannot speculate, nor give you a valid answer. I am sorry, Maker."

"Nah, it's alright, buddy," I replied distantly, chuckling to myself as I remembered Zip's "mixed signals" pun. And then I realized something else.

I shot forward, my hands gripping the sides of my seat. "Oh man, we forgot Addison!"

…

Addison sat at our usual hangout spot in the Pokémon Center, her stuff all packed up and ready to go. She sat patiently, her hands folded on her lap, swinging her legs.

"They've been gone for a few hours," she said to herself, checking her watch. "Oh well! My honey-pumpkin would never forget about little ole me!"

…

"Eh," I leaned back into my seat. "I'll get over it."

Zip floated down in front of me, hovering above my lap. "Maker, even though I am only a personal memory unit, I can still-"

The entire circle in the middle of his body that served as his eyes turned black, and he fell down onto my lap.

"Zip!?" I picked him up nervously, my breathing steadily increasing. "Zip, are you alright!?"

"What's the matter?" asked Emile as he turned around.

"Zip! He just…bleeped out!"

"Try taking the batteries out and putting them back in," said Flannery with a grin. I shot her an agitated look, and she sat back in her seat to try and avoid my glare.

As I began to examine Zip's entire body, I heard something zip by the car. I looked behind us. Nothing. I settled back to my frantic examination of Zip, when all of a sudden, I heard two more things buzz past the car.

Jenny swerved, startled by the Magnemite that flew right over her, stopping in front of me. Wes, Emile, Burgundy and Flannery eyed it nervously. Was this a regular Magnemite? Well, obviously not. That would imply my life was normal.

It's little eye-reticle scanned me, stopping at Zip. The holographic net-like shape turned from yellow to green when it reached Zip, disappearing back into the Magnemite's eyes, ending the scan.

"Identity confirmed," it chirped, and then flew away.

Burgundy stared at Zip and I for a second. "W-what was-"

Several more Magnemite buzzed by our heads, rotating around the car. Jenny tried to swerve and lose them, but they simply came back. And more continued to descend.

They zapped the exterior of the car with current of electricity. The engine began to chug, and smoke poured from the hood. All of the gauges and light in the front dash faded, and we stopped suddenly.

With a long _Boooooop! _Zip floated back up, looking around to regain his bearings.

"Zip…are these, uh…friends of yours?" asked a nervous Burgundy. I'll be the first to admit that she overreacted to some things, but hundreds-yes, I said hundreds-of Magnemite descending on you would make you shiver, wouldn't it?

"Illogical question: I do not have 'friends'."

"Aw, Zip, we're you're friends," crooned a sympathetic Flannery, who certainly had a soft-spot for loneliness.

"Uh, yeah, Zip…I'm your friend," I said vacantly, not staring away from the countless Magnemite that now formed a tube around out car, the only opening being the circle of visible sky above us.

For the first time in about seven hours, Sheriff Jenny, turned and looked directly at us. Her eyes were broadcasted her distress in neon lights. She was a by the book woman, and for things that weren't in the book (like a swarm of Magnemite) there was one textbook answer: shoot it.

"Get my shotgun from the back, now!" Just as she preemptively reached out to grab it the second one of us had it in hand, a Magnemite broke off from the swarm, and zapped her in the arm. She screamed as it fell numb and useless as her side. The Magnemite let out an angry, metallic croak, and floated back to join its brethren.

And then, down from the circle of sky at the top of the cylinder, descended three Magnemite. The swarming cluster seemed to calm as the descended.

"Zip, who are they?" I whispered to my own Magnemite. "They look important."

"Oh, Maker, they are far more important than all units combined; they are the Hierarch Consensus: the vanguards of our entire being?"

Burgundy sighed. "Elaborate," she said uninterestedly. If she didn't ask him to, someone else sure as heck would've…

"All Prime Units-as you call them, "the ones that can talk"-are linked to a great network known as the Consensus. It stores absolutely all data gathered by us. The Hierarchs attain direct control over the Consensus, making all important decisions that need to be made for the good of us all.

"Everything we've seen, heard, learned, touched, fixed, attacked. Everything is logged an catalogued there, so that if a unit is to be destroyed, it's memories will nigh be lost, but there for us all to access. With, of course, a few exceptions."

"Like?"

"The data of personal memory units…"

I looked up to catch another glimpse of the Hierarch Consensus, but could not see them. Confused, I searched the sky for a second, before realizing they had reached us, and were arrayed in a circle.

"Unit Z One-Nine," spoke the first. His tone was like Zip's. "You have gone against your prime directive: to uphold and upkeep the New Mauville facility until it is decided otherwise that we shall abandon."

"And who decides that?" asked Emile.

"We do," answered a second Hierarch, this one with a somewhat aged female voice. "As the Makers have left, we now have full control over all units. We will continue our prime directive until instructed otherwise by the Makers. Or until every last one of us rusts and ceases to function."

This was getting a little to…evil robot for my taste. I intervened. "Listen, uh…"

"I am Unit A Zero-Two," said the first Magnemite, with a tone somewhat resembling Zip's.

"I am Unit A Zero-Three," said the one with the female voice.

"And I am Unit A Zero-Four," said the third, the one with the stern voice.

"I…okay, guys…what did Zip do wrong, per say?"

"He violated his prime directive!" barked A-04, zooming quickly in front of my face. If Magnemite could glare, he was doing the absolute closest thing to it.

"As a personal memory unit, Z-19's memoires remain unconnected to the Consensus," said A-03, drifting casually in front of me. A-02 moved a bit out of the way. "Therefore, we must maintain very close control of such units. We know not the impact of their secrets falling into the wrong hands."

"Which is why we won't let it happen again!" growled A-04, more to A-02 than to me. "We will drain his memories into the Consensus, and we will scrap him!"

Zip remained completely calm. I saw no change in his current gaze; his simply stared up at his superiors. They were talking about killing him, and he quietly respected their judgment.

"No!" I stood in my seat, and shifted my position so that I was between Zip and the Hierarchs. "Zip is my friend! And I'm his Maker! I won't let you take him!"

A-04 glared at me once more, and several dozen Magnemite broke off from their formation and floated towards us, I guessed to take me down. I held firm.

"Enough!" This was A-01. He turned to face the oncoming units. They stopped, and slowly floated back to their positions. "If this human is correct, than we must let Z-19 remain. Even we cannot change a units programming. If he is to be this human's personal unit, then he is to be."

A Magnemite-I'm not sure if it was the same one that scanned us before-did another check, scanning me, and then Zip. It drifted over to A-04, and then drifted back to its position.

"The human…is correct," mumbled A-04, a bit angrily. "Z-19 is to remain with Organic William Grey comma Pokémon Trainer."

Zip put on his happy face, and I wiped some sweat off of my brow. While I had put on a pretty mean poker face during this whole faceoff, I had secretly been dreading having to take all of these things on. I was probably going to have to sick Grimlock on them…

A-03 drifted over to me. "As you are the first Maker we have encountered in over fifteen years, we wish to offer our assistance to you in any way? Is there anything you need?"

Well, I was kinda in the mood for a soda, but I doubted that it would be a good idea to send a swarm of Magnemite into a local convenience store…but in all seriousness, I didn't really _need_ anything. Although…

"Hey, can I ask a question?"

"Of course," said A-02, turning to face me. "I estimated a sixty-two point seven percent chance that we will be able to answer it adequately, as Hierarch software does permit speculation."

"Well…that's just it. If you guys, the most powerful of all the units, are A zero two through four, what happened to A zero one?"

The Hierarch Consensus as a whole was silent for a collective moment. I thought at first that maybe they were still loading the answer…

On second though, they could've just not wanted to tell us. But, I was a Maker (even though I didn't make jack-diddly squat).

"Before the Hierarch Consensus was made the controlling body of the Consensus, there was one in charge of all units. The Master Control Unit. A Zero One."

"What happened to it?" asked Flannery.

"We…do not know," admitted A-03.

"But we speculate that the Makers decided he held too much power over the units and New Mauville over all, and de-commissioned it," said A-02.

"Okay…well…" I looked up at the swarm of Magnemite, still looking down at me, expecting some sort of life-changing command.

"Uh…that's…pretty much it. You guys can…uh…go now…"

What!? I've never been in utter command of a fleet of robots! I didn't know what to say!

Like a massive cloud in a great gust of wind, the Magnemite units began to fly back to New Mauville, taking their inconvenient signal jam with them. A-02 and A-03 turned and left as well. A-04 lingered for a moment, glaring hatefully at me, and then departed as well.

We watched them until they disappeared, a good fifteen minutes later. And for a time after that, we still watched, unable to move or speak; simply dumbfounded.

Zip turned excitedly to me. "I am so glad you finally got to meet the Hierarch Consensus, Maker! I think they liked you!"

…

The Silph Man sat alone in his control room. It was a completely bare, large circular chamber. In the middle sat a comfortable, black leather swiveling chair.

The lighting was dim, almost dark one might say, though a main light did shine down on The Silph Man's chair, almost like a spotlight. The Silph Man was always the center of attention when he was a part of any conversation.

The black tiled floor of the room were very similar to The Silph Man's shoes, both in color and the fact that they were shiny enough to be considered black mirrors.

The temperature in his control room was always nice and cool, and the gentle humming of generators and other machines served to soothe The Silph Man as he operated a job that would be very stressful to some.

But not The Silph Man.

He sat in his chair, his left leg across his right. His arm hand rested on the arm of his chair, a glass of expensive wine cradled between his fingers. With his left hand, he was sifting through holographic data displayed before him, in neat little squares of light.

Ah, the marvels of technology. Technology that could allow a man to go to, say, Mauville City, without even leaving his control room…

A tiny, flashing, holographic envelope appeared to the bottom right of this array. He tapped it, and a large rectangle appeared before him, as well as some smaller squares displaying data on the feed he was now listening to.

The rectangle, of course, was the sound wave from the operative hailing him. As they didn't have video communication available at the moment.

"Silph Man," came the deep, synthetic reply. To encrypt a message from an unsafe location, one must take a few extra steps. Voice modulating was one of them. The Silph Man knew who he was talking to, though he wasn't hearing their actual voice. "I have some new information in Stone."

"Report," he said calmly, taking a sip of his drink.

"He still has open cooperation with both Team Magma and Team Aqua. He thinks he's controlling them and you aren't."

"A common misconception. Go on."

"Archie recently inquired about Grey's father. I think he wants to get his help on The Machine."

The Silph Man was silent for a moment. He took another sip of his drink. "I assume they're continuing on with the meteor plan?"

"Yes. Should I attempt sabotage?"

"No," he said forcefully, yet calmly. The Silph Man never lost his cool. "Whether Steven Stone likes it or not, this is about to explode beyond his control. Which is just the way I want it.

"His plan will fail. William Grey will make sure of that. Everything will remain on track; we will find The Cartographer first, and when we do we'll finally be able to unlock all of the secrets this world has to offer."

The pursuit of ultimate knowledge: The Silph Man's ultimate aspiration. And by Arceus, he was close.

"And one more thing for now."

"Yes?"

"The archaeologist, Amanda Garneau. We believe she's translated some sort of ancient manuscript with details on The Cartographer. She's coming to Hoenn to further her study."

"Extend an offer," said The Silph Man, taking another sip from his drink.

"And if she refuses."

"Enforce that offer. Silph Man out."

**Alright! Who's ready for another round of TrainerNaps Trivia?**

***Kricketot chriping* Alright...well...it's either that or the bad news, which always goes first...bad news first...**

**I mean, it could be worse, but eh...it's not that good. Turns out this week may be a bit more hectic than I thought, meaning less updates. Realistically, I can get one maybe two chapters out this week. But after Sunday, I will have a lot more free time. But even after that, updates may not be ever single day; I've been having to rush most days to update, and I don't want to be overwhelmed. You guys understand, right?**

**Anyway, I hope this didn't annoy anyone. Well, onto the trivia. This is basically The Silph Man edition.**

**TrainerNaps Trivia:**

******#6: The Silph Man was originally going to take Team Plasma's position as the passive overlords, directing Will on his path, "encouraging" him when he needs it, and having some sort of leverage over him to keep him from rebelling. For multiple reasons I chose to hold off on him, one being I couldn't find any specific leverage besides "I'll kill you're family," which I feel is a bit overdone; Team Plasma says that, but there's also "If we don't give you this Cryo-energy stuff every once in a while, you'll go crazy with mad power and kill them yourself." Team Plasma was then given the roll, as they would be doing something to get stuff out of their way, until of course, Part 5...**

**#7: The Silph Man's character (and design, for the most part) is based off the Illusive Man from Mass Effect. he isn't a carbon copy, for many reasons, the one foremost in my mind being that the Illusive Man's goals are for the dominance of humanity in galactic civilization, and The Silph Man just wants knowledge. Very similar to Zip and Amanda. Hmmmm...**

**#8: For about 13 seconds, I considered revealing The Silph Man to be Giovanni. Eh, it didn't seem right...just one of those "early morning" ideas. **

**As always, Reader Question for everyone! You find Jirachi, and she gives you 3 wishes: typical genie rules though. No killing someone, no bringing someone back, and no making someone fall in love. What would you wish for? And if it's something pertaining to the world...eh, either the Pokemon world, or make it in the real world. Whichever.**

**The Silph Man: A review will bring us so much closer to our goals...**


	40. Chapter 40: Tremors

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Co., along with Sheriff Jenny of Fallarbor Town, set off to Mt. Chimney to halt whatever plans Team Magma may have in store with the stolen meteor. They are interrupted, however, by the source of the signal jam that has been occurring; the Magnemite of New Mauville, and their leaders, the Hierarch Consensus, who have declared Zip a traitor, and were going to take him back. But after a compelling argument from Will, who cared for his buddy, the Hierarchs realized that he was right that Zip should stay, and left. But not before they told the tale of The Master Control Unit; the Magnemite that had previously been in control of them all, before being mysteriously taken down. The group once again leaves for Mt. Chimney. Meanwhile, news of Team Aqua's plan for Will's father, as well as the impending arrival of his archaeologist friend Amanda Garneau reach the ears of The Silph Man, who wishes to work with Amanda to find her quarry, a mysterious artifact known as "The Cartographer." What will happen next? Find out now!**

For the record, I don't actual stop and think about this often. But I've come to the realization that humanity is falsely advertising something. We did not invent the furnace. Nature did.

I realized this as we pulled up in front of the Fiery Path. And you've probably heard people exaggerate and use the simile, "The heat wrapped around me like a blanket." Ha! Because the heat fell down on my like a dumbbell.

"Great! Another path, sure to be chock-full of unpleasantries and such," moaned Burgundy as she hopped out of the jeep. "Why can we never find another way around?"

'Let's not forget that the desert was the way around _this_," said Emile.

"Yeah, but we were kinda forced into it!" she motioned to the desert, which was still visible from our current position. "But now Will has captured Grimlock, _and _he killed Regirock, so it's all good!"

"Nope!" I quickly snapped, and briskly walked to the mouth of the cave. "No desert!" I motioned to the entrance with my arms. "Now, if you would all please follow me-"

"I say we _climb_ the mountain!" said Burgundy, putting one foot up on a rock, and her hands on her hips, striking a heroic pose. _"Vers le haut!"_

"Burgundy," said Jenny, shutting the compartment in the rear of the jeep, which had contained her supplies (and her shotgun). "You don't strike me as a "mountain climbing" type of gal. Think about what you just said."

Burgundy paused for a moment, her eyes dropping as she thought. She huffed and got off the rock. "Finewe'llgothroughthecave…"

…

I know before I said that mankind didn't invent the furnace. Scratch that, we can take credit for that one. But we did have some inspiration from one of nature's personal creations: the boiler.

I had never been in a sauna before, and after this, I promised I would never force myself into that form of torture. Why would anyone take comfort in forcing the vital liquids out of your body through sweat!? There were many more pleasant ways to deprives oneself of hydration.

I had taken off my jacket, and tied it around my waist. Emile and Jenny had done the same, Emile's Ranger under shirt accenting his well-muscled exterior, and Jenny showing off her tan tank top. Burgundy simply rolled up her sleeves.

And to add insult to injury, this was not dry heat, but the sticky, humid kind. And that's not even the insult I'm adding to the injury. This volcano must've had a very close proximity to some sort of underground spring, because a thick coat of steam hung in the air.

It took less than ten minutes for Jenny to declare us lost. We stopped at a small intersection of two tunnels. Jenny simply rested her shotgun on her shoulder and studied both.

"Which one…should we take?" panted Burgundy, wiping some sweat off of her brow.

"I thought girls didn't sweat," said Wes with a grin. Burgundy punched him in the gut, leaving a sweat stain from her fist on his shirt.

"Girls don't sweat, we…we glow…right, Jenny?"

Jenny was just ignoring her, and talking strategy with Flannery.

"There isn't really any good way to tell which way is out," said Flannery, scratching her head. "These aren't like Trapinch tunnels (I shivered) where you can see a distinct dip in the formation, therefore telling which way the tunnel was carved. It was definitely carved by Slugma, their bodies being made of magma-"

"Then can we tell from their carvings?" asked Jenny. Flannery shook her head.

"That's just the thing, though. Slugma and Macargo are made of magma, which spreads in a kind of puddle when the stop. Even if they did leave a trail of molten rock, it'd be melted away once another Slugma or Macargo stopped on it."

Flannery was right: the floor of the tunnels were relatively flat and smooth, with the exception of round dips in the ground sometimes, almost pizza shaped, even with a rocky crust that indicated where a Lava Pokémon had stopped.

"Well, I guess we just pick one and pray to Arceus that it's right," she said, leading us down the left tunnel.

"If you don't mind me saying-"

"A bit of advice, kid," interrupted Jenny, not turning to face me as usual. "If you have anything to say, and you think someone might actually mind it, don't say it. Much less let them know you might say it."

We were silent for a moment. She sighed. "Continue."

It was kinda awkward saying it now, but I had to anyway. "Well…I was just gonna say that you never really stuck me as the religious type."

"I'm not. My daughter is, though."

At first, I thought she was just making one of those cheap excuses, like, "I didn't watch that movie; my brother was and I just happened to walk in." But she had not finished elaborating. And it was good she did.

"You know about Officer Jennys. We aren't the de facto police of the world, but we make up a decent portion of it. You all know the story: Interpol was founded by the KID (Kanto Intelligence Division) operative Agent Jennifer, and all of her of-age daughters joined up to fill its roster while it was still young. After a while, it just kinda became tradition for anyone of the family to join the police. One might even say it was expected that the daughter of a Jenny was to become a cop.

"We're all teenagers, you know. I'm sure you hear your parents say it all the time, but it's true. I wanted to be ballerina when I was a kid."

Burgundy snorted, and grabbed her mouth with her hands to muffle the laughter. Do I even need to say what Jenny did? Or better yet, what she didn't do?

"Jennys have those fantasies, too. One of my sisters wanted to be a bounty hunter, for crying out loud. She even went as far to seek admittance into The Brotherhood. But, one way or another, we come around.

"I live in a small town; news gets around fast. You tend to get to know who everyone is. I knew the parents, and their children, who all eventually wanted to be something that their parents wanted them to not be. It caused splits in the family. And in a town like Fallarbor, 'family' is the sole reason that it still stands."

I couldn't believe my ears. Stone-cold by the book police commander Jenny was pouring her heart out to us. Well, not really pouring. More like just giving us a drop at a time, while keeping her cool.

"I didn't want that to happen when I got pregnant with my daughter. So when she was born, I didn't force the life of a police officer on her. I didn't give her a plastic gun for her first birthday. I didn't dress her up as a cop every year for Halloween. At bedtime, I didn't read her chapters from a textbook about The First Great War.

"No. For her first birthday, I got her a doll. For Halloween, I let her dress up as a princess. And at bedtime, I read her fairy tales. I brought her to church; who was I to tell her what she was going to believe in for the rest of her life? I thought it best to let her experience religion. To hear the fairy tales…but maybe they cast a spell on her…

"When I told her about everyone in my family becoming an Officer Jenny, she didn't just say 'No Mom, that's not what I want to do.' She abused that freedom I gave her. She completely renounced my family's lifestyle. She wanted to travel the world in search of its mystical secrets. She was a silly, naïve little girl, and she thought that the 'spirits' who protected innocent little girls would keep her from harm. She had complete faith that every stranger she met on the street would help 'the damsel in distress,' and if not, they'd learn a valuable lesson and help her in the end. I wasn't being overprotective when I told her no.

"And then she ran away from home."

The strong, stern, cool voice she had carried throughout the whole conversation just cracked as she struck her own soft spot.

"You didn't go after her?" Burgundy asked softly.

Jenny took a deep breath. "No. I took an oath that my duty as Sheriff of that town would come before all else. Even parenthood. I couldn't go after her."

I wasn't about to tell this woman she had done the wrong thing. Not because I feared being shot in the chest with a shogun, but because she was once again dealing with the fact that the only good thing that she had brought into this world had run away…and she was powerless to stop it.

"S-so…about getting out of here…" said Wes, trying to break the tension. But he was right. Finding a way out had to be a priority right now. In fact, while Jenny had been telling her story, she had unconsciously turned down several tunnels, and we had unconsciously followed.

"Well, this is a Slugma tunnel, right?" I asked, taking out a Pokéball. "Maybe Torch can help us! Torch, let's go!"

"Sloog…" Torch came out of his Pokéball, and immediately relaxed as he felt comfortable in his current surrounding. I mean, Torch was pretty lazy to begin with, but now he was comfortable enough to take a nap…

"Torch, can you lead us outta here?" I asked my Slugma. His eyes drifted lazily up to me, and he did the invertebrate equivalent of shrugging: his shoulder area simply bubbled up.

Burgundy rolled her eyes. "Well, that's just-"

"Sh!" Jenny raised her shotgun, and pointed it into the steam. She closed one eye, lining the other up with the sights. And then she fired.

The boom echoed through the tunnel. We dashed forward to the wall area where she had shot. Splattered up against the wall was a red, goopy substance.

"Eww!" Burgundy backed up. "W-what did you k-kill?"

Flannery giggled. I wasn't really seeing what was so funny about this…

"Nothing, in fact." Flannery pointed back. "Look!"

The goop on the floor and the walls was slowly creeping towards the largest blob left, and being absorbed into the form as it reached it. Slowly, a familiar shape reformed from the goopy mess.

The Slugma blinked its eyes, and hocked up a small piece of metal, melted and deformed from the extreme temperatures from within its body. Having returned Jenny's bullet, it simply turned and left.

"Don't you think it would be a good idea to find out what you're shooting at before you shoot it?" asked Flannery in a snarky tone of voice, crossing her arms.

"Hey, I was just attacked by a swarm of talking Magnemite! I'm kind of doubting my sanity right now!"

"Well-"

"Guys, stop!" yelled Wes, standing in between Sheriff Jenny and Flannery, and extending his arms as if to block them off from each other. "Flannery, didn't you say Slugma were being displaced from Mt. Chimney?"

"Y-yeah," said the Gym Leader, the gears in her head turning.

"Then why are there some here…?"

"As a matter of fact…it's only the upper regions of the mountain where I've noticed Pokémon absent from. The bottom seems fine, though, No disturbances, I've counted a decent amount of Slugma and other Pokémon on our way through the tunnels…"

"Could RP Pokémon be forcing them out?" asked Emile with a low growl. Flannery shook her head.

"No. Pokémon like Slugma can't be infected with RP. It's transferred by bites and scratches, not by air. And Slugma are…well, they're made of lava. No, they'd only leave if their homes were obstructed…"

"What is Team Magma planning?" Wes asked himself, scratching his chin.

"They could be sending research teams in to investigate something within the volcano," suggested Burgundy, trying to contribute to the speculation.

But before anyone could say anything, a great tremor shook the tunnels. We stumbled about, trying to steady ourselves. A few Slugma plopped down from the ceiling, shaken from their perches. I could hear the chitter of alarmed Zubat from down the cave.

"Yeah, definitely not research," I said once the tremors stopped. "Come on! We've gotta get up that mountain before it comes down here!"

…

The door whooshed shut behind Karrgon, a sound he had grown accustomed to hearing. He seemed to be the one always relaying news to the King.

"My lord," he said, taking a bow. "We believe that The Cartographer is close to being uncovered."

"By whom?" came the cryptic response. "Our enemies? How far have Team Magma and Team Aqua come in their plans?"

"Not far. At least, no far enough for them to by worrying about The Cartographer. In any case, it is only Team Aqua we should worry about in relation to The Cartographer. Team Magma has found what they are looking for. Team Aqua simply chooses to do more…prep work. No, it is a young archaeologist, Amanda Garneau, who is in search of The Cartographer."

The was a chilly silence as the King thought about his options. "We cannot allow this device to be found."

"But, my lord, the benefits to our cause could-"

"It is not worth it falling into the wrong hands. It will remain hidden. See to it."

"The archaeologist, sire. She is a close personal friend of The Alpha. If we were to eliminate her, it would hasten his rebellion against us. Serum or not, he would want revenge."

"Well, then, discourage her! Make sure The Cartographer is not found!"

Karrgon stood at attention. "Yes, milord!"

**Woohoo! Managed to get a chapter out today! I'll do so every chance I get this week, which, like I said, may not be as often as usual. But, I'll try my best.**

**Not really a lot to say here...nothing has reached my ears that I feel I should share, except for the sad news that Robert Downy Jr. wont be playing Tony Stark in any movies after Avengers 2...I are sadly right now...**

**Anyway, Reader Question! Who should play Iron Man in-nah, just kidding! But, it kinda relates. If one of your favorite movies had been produced in PokeStar studios (that is, if it were made in the Pokemon World) what would it be like. Two words for me: Zubat Man.**

**Torch: Answer and review! I mean, if you want...nothin' to really get excited about...**


	41. Chapter 41: Fetch

**Previously on Revelations:**

**The team began to make their way through the Fiery Path, in hopes of taking the Team Magma guards guarding the cable car station by surprise. On the way, Flannery noted that the native Pokemon of these areas of Mt. Chimney had not evacuated, unlike their brethren from higher up the mountain. Further along, Sheriff Jenny reluctantly shares the story of her daughter, who was obsessed with a life of fantasy and wonder, and ran away after rejecting the Officer Jenny lifestyle of the family. The cavern begins to shake, and our heroes hasten their trek. Meanwhile, Karrgon meets with King Plasma, who orders him to make sure that the mysterious artifact known as "The Cartographer" is not located by Amanda's notes. Why do they want it to remain hidden? And why does The Silph Man want it found? You guys may not find that out this time, but there's still some cool stuff this time!**

* * *

"Oh, sweet relief!" Burgundy stumbled out of the Fiery Path, and flopped face-down on the grass that greeted us after the rocky doormat in front of the cave. I felt my exterior clasped by a sudden chill as the cool evening air met my sweaty form.

We now stood on a flat portion of the rocky terrain sloping up Mt. Chimney. To our right I could see a great stone staircase, carved into the mountain itself. To our left was a decreasingly stony landscape, speckled with large patches of grass.

Flannery sat down and leaned up against a rock, closing her eyes and nodding off.

I shivered as I saw the sliver of desert poking out from the side of the mountain. Well, looks like now I have more motivation to go up…

"Should we make our way to the stairs?" asked Wes, walking to the edging of our small clearing.

Sheriff Jenny shook her head as she put her jacket back on. "Bad idea. They'll most likely have guards stationed right at the top. They'll see us coming. We can probably sneak up the side, though."

Burgundy moaned, her disdain muffled by her face being in the ground. "_Climbing? _Will, can you give me a piggyback ride?"

I sighed, putting my own jacket on. Wes and Emile followed mine and Jenny's example. Being sweaty in cold temperatures puts you at more risk for sickness and infection, which I had learned from my few years running track.

"No, Burgundy," I said, putting my left arm through its respective sleeve. "I'm not giving you a ride up."

"But you said you would on the way to Mt. Silver!" she said, now, propped up against her elbow. "And we took a plane, so it still counts!"

"I don't work that way, Burgundy!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-h-"

"Sh!" hissed Jenny, glaring at us resentfully (sadly, this was the first time she had looked directly at us in a while. The last time I believe being when she wanted me to give her the shotgun so that she could waste Magnemite…) "Be quiet! They'll probably have-"

We all turned as we heard a snarl to our left. Slowly making its way down the rocky slope was a Mightyena. Its back was hunched, its upper lip was raised and vibrating as it snarled, flashing its razor-sharp teeth.

It made the last hop down, and began to slowly approach. Jenny reached for her shotgun, and took aim. Before I could say anything, the Mightyena dashed forward.

Jenny's finger flew to the trigger. It would be impossible to tell if I did, giving my current sweat level, but I think I broke out into yet another cold sweat.

"No!" I cried, hurling myself at the side of the gun. The shot went wide, pinging off a boulder.

The kick of the rifle sent us both flying: Jenny to the side, into the rock wall, and me onto my back.

"You idiot!" cried Jenny, picking herself up, and pumping her shotgun for another firing. "Why did you do that!? I could have you arrested!"

"That Mightyena wasn't at fault!" I spat back, my respect for authority melting in with rage. "Under normal circumstances you'd just be defending yourself, but this one is under the orders of its Trainer! It wasn't its fau-"

Mightyena jumped onto me, one of its paws going right into my stomach, and nocking the wind out of me. It snapped its toothy maw at me, saliva and heat shooting into my face.

I turned my head to look away, just as it raised its paw to finish the job.

I heard a dull thud, and then a yelp, and then all of the pressure was taken off of me. I peeked one eye open. Mightyena was gone.

I leaned up on my elbow, and saw the struggle occurring to my left. A rather one-sided engagement was going on between Mightyena and another dog Pokémon roughly twice its size. It was orange and black, with a great white mane.

The second Pokémon raised one of its mighty paws, and smacked Mightyena almost to the side of the cliff. It raised its head, and then spat a star shaped fireball at Mightyena, knocking it back to an adjacent rock, and leaving a star-shaped singe mark on the rock.

Mightyena slumped down, and struggled onto its feet. It snarled twice at the second dog, which proceeded to let out a bark of its own, which was three times as loud and boomed throughout the canyon.

Mightyena turned tail and ran to the stairs. Knowing what was going to happen next, I tried to take preemptive action, to no avail

"Okay, easy boy. Heel, he-" The dog Pokémon charged at me, leaping up. Its front paws hit my chest, and I was knocked a good fifteen feet back.

It then proceeded to begin licking my face furiously, dousing me with more liquid than any Water-Type ever had.

"Okay, down boy! Flash! That's enough!" I managed through fits of gasping for breath and laughter.

After a good minute and a half of "reintroductions," my Arcanine sat down obediently, his tongue still sticking out, panting.

I got to my feet slowly, my arms spread out halfway, not sure what to brush off first: the dirt or the saliva. I resolved to instead pet my friend instead. I was met with another fit of licking, to which I responded with more laughter.

Burgundy put her hands on her hips, shook her head and sighed. "A boy and his dog." Flash bolted over to Burgundy, and gave her a big lick, from her chest to the tip of her head.

"EWWWW!" She stood now like I had, arms apart and hanging down, kind of like a cowboy preparing to draw. Her hair stood up in a crazy plume of wet spikes, a few strands even drooping and sticking to her forehead. "I am SO taking a shower rafter this!"

Flash sat down in front of her, panting and waging his tale.

"Aw, he remembers you!" said Wes with a cocky smile. Burgundy glared daggers at her. But not even Wes was safe, for he was Flash's next target to say "Hello!" to.

"_Oyos mio,_" said Emile, walking over to my side, as I proudly watched Flash say "Hello" to Wes, and Burgundy uncomfortable move about. "That's a…uh…big doggy ya got there, little man."

I nodded and chuckled, and I was interrupted once again before I could speak by Sheriff Jenny. She put a hand on my shoulder and turned me to face her. It was a little less forceful than what I would've expected.

But I didn't get what I expect. "Hey, kid. About the Mightyena…"

"Officer," I began, lowering my head, admittedly a bit ashamed. "I promise once this is over that I won't put up a-"

"No," she held up her hand, "That won't be necessary. I…wanted to thank you. I wasn't thinking."

It's a good thing Burgundy was busy stroking the saliva off of herself, because hearing this would only serve to stroke her ego.

"No, really, it's okay," I said, trying to be as humble as possible. Though getting a formal apology from a cranky old police officer was pretty…well, it was the opposite of humbling.

"I just…ugh." I sat down at the edge of the cliff, my hands in my lap, hanging my head. "Out of all the things these people do, one of the things I can't stand the most is the fact that they use these Pokémon like tools. And then when all is said and done, these poor Pokémon get blamed for everything. They're only nasty because their Trainers are, not because they choose to be!"

We all knew this held true. A Pokémon was a person in all senses: they could think and feel. They had their own personalities. But any amount of time spent around a particular person, be it a parent or a teacher or a friend, their traits will start to rub off on you. A Pokémon Trainer is no exception.

Given enough time, they'll start to change. If the Trainer is a kindhearted person, the Pokémon may become a little nicer. With enough time with me, Grimlock may stop being…well, a colossal jerk. At least, I hoped he would.

And given enough time with, say, a villainous organization, a Pokémon probably won't emerge a model student.

"This is one of the reasons we're gonna bring these scumbags to justice," said Emile, putting a hand on my shoulder. "As a Pokémon Ranger, I stand for the protection of all people and Pokémon. These ones being abused are no exception. C'mon."

He helped me to my feet. I was all ready to head out, ready to kick some butt and take some names. I glanced back to Flash, who was slowly padding towards me. He plopped down when he reached my feet.

Wait. Something didn't add up. "I thought Daisy said there was something wrong…" I said to myself, though everyone else heard.

"He fought off that Mightyena so well," said Jenny. "If ya ask me, he's right as rain."

Hm. We'd have to figure this out later.

"Well gang, looks like we're movin' out," I said, beginning to walk to the nearest rocky outcropping. Burgundy moaned again.

"Do we _have _to climb," moaned Burgundy, slouching in place. Before I scolded her again, I thought about it. We _had _just hiked through a boiling volcanic cave. Burgundy's muscles could be ready to give out. Plus the fact that we were all so sweaty already, and the mountain air was so chilly…

"Maker!" said Zip, floating forward, and returning from the…"scans" I requested from the cave. "If I may make a suggestion…"

…

I moaned one last time as I heaved myself over the final rocky outcropping, and onto flat ground. Sheriff Jenny followed, albeit without any moans or groans or any other form of noise. Emile came up behind her, and Zip up behind him. Finally, Flash hopped up, Wes, Flannery, and Burgundy on his back.

"Thanks for the ride!" said Wes, patting Flash on the side of the head.

"WOOF!"

They dismounted, and we all huddled together as we peeked around the corner of the rocky wall. A few dozen feet away was a small building, a cable running out of a great square gap, and up the mountain. The cable car.

Out front were two men, each wearing a familiar red hooded uniform: Team Magma!

Jenny grunted. "Looks like they've ditched the ruse."

"What do you mean?" asked Burgundy.

"They used to be disguised as just regular security guards," explained Flannery. "Now, I guess they've just thrown in the towel on that one. If so, that must mean they're close to finishing…" She shook her head. "So, what's the plan!?" She was eager for revenge, after goons wearing the same uniform had almost cost Flannery her freedom.

"We can't just jump the gun like that," said Wes, thinking things through. "Look up there."

He pointed to the top of the building, where lay a large satellite dish. It made sense: if a business like a cable car were to need anything, especially out in the middle of nowhere, it would be strong communication.

"Also, look there." Wes pointed now towards one of the grunts, who clutched a small black square clutched in his hand. "Communicator. Probably patched right in to the satellite. He sees anything, the guys at the top know we're coming."

I hear a dull thud, and turned back around our side of the corner to see that Flash had plopped right down in front of a tree. He was staring up at one of its large branches and wagging his tail.

"You wanna play fetch, boy?" I asked, walking over to him and petting his back.

"WOOF!"

"Sh!" I patted his snout to keep him quiet. I was about to tell him that there would be a better time, but an ingenious plan began to take shape in my mind.

Gently tugging his mane, I led him over to the corner. I pointed up at the satellite dish: namely, the long antennae sticking out of it.

"See that, boy? Go get it! Fetch, boy!"

He took off. He was so fast, and his advance was so sudden, that the Magmas didn't notice him until he was practically on top of them.

The one with the walkie-talkie raised it half way to his mouth, but that was as far as he got when Flash tackled him to the ground. But that wasn't his intent: the guy was merely on the way.

He kept going, taking about two more bounds before leaping up onto the roof. For there, it was just one jump to the antennae. It met his mouth halfway through his arc, snapping off like a twig. He landed somewhere behind the house.

The grunts started at the roof, unmoving, jaws agape. In the course of four seconds, their entire plan in case of an attack had been ruined.

They slowly looked at each other, their mouths still hinged open. As the shakily reached for their Pokéballs, they each felt a tap on the shoulder.

Turning around, they received synchronized punches to the face from Jenny and Flannery, knocking them out old.

"That's for what you're doin' to my mountain!" said Flannery, massaging her fist. "W-whatever it is!"

While Jenny knelt down to cuff them each to a small fence post, Flash trotted happily around the house, the antennae clenched in his jaw. Wires stuck out the end, an occasional spark popping out.

He reached me, and dropped it at my feet with a loud _CLANG! _The middle part was bent, and I could see teeth marks. Saliva began to pool in a puddle around it.

"Eh…thanks boy…" I said, carefully tiptoeing around the drool, and petting him on the head as I made my way to the house. I cracked the door open, and walked inside.

To my right was a small office, the door wide open. There was a glass window in the front, where passengers would pick up their tickets. Inside were a few desks and computers.

To my left there was a station of generators, computers, and other techy doo-dads, which I took to be the controls and such for the cable cars. In front of us, beyond the metal platform, were three bays, similar to where trains would park. All of the cable cars were missing.

"Smart…" Jenny murmured to herself, examining the station. "They called all the cars up to their side. Check around, I'm gonna go frisk the grunts. Maybe one of them has a key to call one down."

We went about our task, splitting up to search the entire place. Little did we know, we were being watched.

All around the station, inside and out, were small security cameras. On the underside of each read:

_Devon Corp._

* * *

**Flash! Aaaaaaaah! Champion of the impossible! **

**Seriously though, I forced myself to listen to "Flash" by Queen during the fetch part. It was awesome...but, yay! Flash has returned!**

**Anyway, since I've had a few absences, I'll give you a...brand-spankin' new TrainerNaps Trivia!**

**TrainerNaps Trivia:**

**9). Will's trigger phrase, "If you'd please," which forces him to do whatever the speaker says, is an homage to one of my favorite games. And before you guess Mass Effect, let me be the first to shock you with the news that it isn't. It is an homage to Bioshock, one of my favorite games of all time, where (SPOILER ALERT!) The main character Jack is subject to the trigger phrase "Would you kindly-?" So Atlas wasn't ebing polite! He was making you his slave the whole time! There's a few more spoilers for Atlas, but...I'm not that evil. I'm not jsut going to obey my impulse to spoil. **

**After all, Andrew Ryan does say, "A man chooses! A slave obeys!"**

**S'okay, reader question! On the subject of games, what is your favorite video game of all time? **

**Mass Effect 2. Ha! Got one in! Cya around, folks.**

**Flash: Woof! ****_Review! And would you kindly pass that ball, if you'd please..._**


	42. Chapter 42: The Guest List

** Previously on Revelations:**

**The team made it out of the Fiery Path, after a long and sweaty journey. But their toil would not yet be over. Attacked by surprise by one of Team Magma's scout Mightyena, our heroes are only still alive due to the surprise intervention of one of Will's oldest and most trusted companions, Flash the Arcanine. The group had heard he was in Lavaridge Town, due to something being "wrong with him," but nothing seems to be wrong with Will's trusted partner. Anyway, they continue up the mountain, and Will gets to take out two Pidgey with one Rock Throw: taking out Team Magma's emergency communications antennae, as well as getting to play fetch with Flash. Will and Co. make it to the cable cars, and begin their journey up the mountain, under the watchful eye of Devon Corp...What exactly is Steven looking to do? Find out now!**

* * *

"It's going down, it's going down, why is it going down!?" Burgundy gripped one of the safety bars, her knuckles turning white as she did.

We had eventually found a key card on one of the grunts, and used it to call a cable car down. For about fifteen minutes we had been slowly progressing upwards, enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery…

…when all of a sudden we began sliding down the slope at breakneck speeds. Which pretty much sums everything up.

"Maker, I have a theory on-"

"Zip, how can we stop from smashing against the side of the mountain!?" I yelled, stumbling back and using my arms to keep myself from slamming into the rear of the cabin.

"The magnetic lock atop the cable car has been released. We are now descending at a velocity of-"

"Can you fix it!?"

"Oh, Maker, for me, this would be a remedial task! I shall get started right away."

He drifted towards one of the windows, and then turned back to us. "However, I do require one of you to accompany me."

"I'll go," volunteered Jenny, removing the shotgun slung over her shoulder, and handing it to Flannery. "Don't pull the trigger, okay? I turned the safety on, but it's been on the fritz ever since we left the Fiery Path. So don't take any chances."

Jenny made her way to the window, as Zip zapped it open and flew through. Jenny climbed into the frame, turned, reached her arms up, and hoisted herself over. We heard the clanking of boots on the roof.

Flannery was shaking like she was holding a-oh yeah, she was! But still, she looked pretty nervous.

I couldn't hear the conversation up top going on between Zip and Jenny; the wind whipping through our ears was too loud, but then Zip flew down through the window to clear things up.

"I highly advise that preventative measures for a sudden stop be taken," he put simply, and then returned back up the roof.

Burgundy stared at where he had left, and then walked slowly over to the window. "What did he-"

The cab jerked suddenly to a stop. Luckily, Wes and I were already leaned up against the back wall, so we didn't suffer that much from the recoil.

But, we did suffer from the recoil of others. Burgundy was sent flying back, and into me. If it weren't for…well, my body being there, she probably would've broken every bone in hers.

Flannery's first thought we to make sure that the shotgun didn't go off in the confusion. A very good thing to pay attention to, but not the only thing she should have.

As she went flying back, the shotgun nearly flew out of her grip, makin it very likely that it could've gone off after making contact with something. Arceus-bless Flash, who thought we were still playing fetch. As Flannery stumbled past him, just as the gun flew out of her hand, he snatched it right out of midair.

Much like Burgundy, Flannery was saved by a human shield, this time, Wes. Although, he suffered a bit more than I. Flannery's elbow found itself in a very…sensitive spot.

Once the cable car had come to a complete stop, we all got back up and took inventory on ourselves. Wes plopped down into the fetal position.

Flannery quickly knelt down in front of him. "Ehe…sorry, Wes…"

"No…problem…" the researcher groaned, groping at his wounded area. "Next time…could you just crush me somewhere else…"

Before Flannery could manage another awkward response, Flash padded up behind her, and dropped the shotgun, now covered in slobber, down at her feet. He sat and wagged his tail, tongue hanging out.

"Sorry, buddy," she said meekly, picking up the shotgun by the butt with her fingertips, careful to avoid the canine drool. "M-maybe after this is all over, I'll find you a nice big stick in Lavaridge Town…"

"Woof!" Flash barked excitedly. He trotted back over to the window Zip had blasted open, and stood up on it with his paws, leaning out the window in anticipation of movement. Wow, I guess dogs really do like that.

Jenny swung herself back into the cab, followed by Zip. He rotated from left to right, surveying the scene before him.

"Well," he said, in that never fading tone of his, "It appears that you all should listen to me more often."

…

"-and that, Maxie, is how I have singlehandedly made your life easier, yet again."

Steven Stone leaned back in his chair, looking out the large window of his executive office. The person on the other end of the call was speaking to him via intercom communications, so Steven needed not hold up any sort of apparatus, or speak into anything. He simply had to speak.

"And once again, I humbly thank you," came the dry, monotone response. Maxie, the infamous leader of the infamous Team Magma wasn't known for extravagant shows of emotion. Steven wasn't even looking at him, but he could still tell Maxie was wearing that one same bland expression.

"You see, unlike you, Maxie, I have a backup plan," he said, twirling a pen in between his fingers. "Not that I ever need to use it when I'm operating on my own. Only when the other half of the deal needs…external intervention."

"Are you blaming me?"

"No, not you directly. Just your help."

"I must protest against the use of such a word," came the crime boss's response. Steven cocked his head back in surprise, thinking that Maxie was actually implicating a kinship with his men. Once again, he was proven wrong."

"Unlike you, Mr. Stone, I do not have the luxury of being able to scroll down a list of resumes on an expensive computer, conduct interviews, and observe on-the-job training before I make a decision. I take who I can get: who are loyal to the cause."

"Yes, yes." And what a grand cause destroying all water on Earth is… "Anyway, how is the machine coming?"

"It has given the exact results you said it would, but…"

"But?" Devon Corp. provided the finest quality goods in the world. They did what was advertised. There was never any but. "But _what!?_" Steven leaned forward, scowling. He was unsure whether he was angry that the technology didn't work, or that it was simply being implied that it didn't.

"We have received readings of seismic activity, not caused by us."

"Isn't that good?"

"Well…upon further analysis…these tremors appear to be artificial as well. Almost _exactly _matching our output."

"It could just be seismic reverb."

"We've taken that into consideration. Anyway, we'll be getting back to you with any results."

"Yes, you do that." Steven smiled, and nearly giggled as he prepared to say this next part. "And don't be worrying about that Grey rat anymore. I assume he's a rather ugly stain on the side of Mt. Chimney by now."

"Acknowledged. Maxie, out."

Steven couldn't describe his current sensation with anything other than glee. Pure ecstasy. His archrival was dead, his father would soon follow, and his beautiful plan to backstab two of the greatest threats in Hoenn history was going swimmingly. Actually…make that three…

_Good boy, _thought the ghostly blue form of Aria in the back of the room, watching this self-proclaimed mastermind bathe in the glory of the scheme she had presented him with. _Dare to dream, Stone. Dare to dream._

And with that, she vanished.

…

Maxwell Terrius was by all means a very smart man. He had received degrees in mathematics, particle physics, and theoretic physics, just to name a few. He was pretty much literally a rocket scientist. He was not, however, a genius.

He left that to the Stone boy. As much as it infuriated him to say this, that boy was a child prodigy, and could figure out some things on a pad and paper during a free hour that Maxie couldn't with the most advanced computing equipment in the world, and with the duration time of two projects put together.

For his plans to work, he'd need this boy. But he wouldn't let himself be played. And so he didn't put up the naïve "I'm in complete control" wall that doomed so many schemes of so many criminals.

He made it "apparent" that he relied on Stone, so that the child would be able to lean back and rest on his laurels, assured that Maxie was putty in his hands.

But yes, Maxie did need the insufferable brat. For now. Once his deal with The Serpent Queen was fulfilled, that boy would be begging at his feet.

"How's it comin, boss?" asked his hulk of a lieutenant, Tabatha. Tabatha was just what a leader could want in a henchman: big, dumb, and loyal. He would do anything for Team Magma, and in all sense, Maxie _was _Team Magma.

The big guy had tried to help with the machine, but his big, beefy hands had only set them back further. Now, since they were getting mysterious readings from Mt. Chimney, and further use of the tectonic device had been halted for now, he once again offered his assistance.

Maxie stood, hands folded behind his back, watching his two technicians go to work on the device. Only a few hours earlier had it started working, thanks to the success of Courtney and Hank. But their success had come at a price.

Three grunts had been captured by the local Officer Jenny, as well as a group of Pokémon Trainers that Steven Stone seemed to speak very…highly of, the grunts revealing their plan to the group. But, according to his "genius," that price had been paid, and the Trainers were dead.

Courtney was currently perched atop a rock, admiring the Seviper she was so fond of. Hank stood next to Tabitha, the two of them chatting back and forth.

"So…this gonna work?" asked Tabitha, crossing his meaty arms.

"It had better work," Hank replied, staring at the device they had toiled for months to construct, and had almost been captured by their archenemies trying to power. For a thing that looked like an office water cooler, it required a lot of attention.

Although, Hank had to admit, the meteorite in the top, see-through glass compartment was a sight to behold. It resonated with blue, mist-like cosmic energy. In fact, in the past hour or so, it had begun to increase in its glowing. Either that meant it was working…or they were all going to die in a fantastic space explosion.

"Alright," said one of the technicians, standing up and brushing her hands off on her pants. "There were a few tiny errors we found, and we fixed em. Shouldn't get those resonate tremors anymore."

Maxie shook his head. "Good work on the issues, but small errors like these wouldn't cause a mountain to shake."

"Perhaps Groudon is awakening!" said Tabitha, pumping his fist in the air.

"Don't be a fool, Tabby," said Courtney, stroking her Seviper's chin as it coiled around her rock. "We haven't even kicked this baby up into half-gear let."

Tabitha looked down at his feet, a bit embarrassed at his outburst. "Well…you know…I felt some shakin'…"

"Are you sure you weren't just dizzy?" said Hank with a sneer. "We _are _at a high altitude, and that little brain of yours needs all the air it can get."

Thinking he understood what Hank was saying (he did repeat human biology class three times) he responded. "Yeah! I-hey, wait!"

He rolled up his sleeve, and took an angry step towards Hank, but stopped when the three of them, and Maxie, turned to see a Magma grunt approaching.

"Maxie!" he cried, out of breath from running through the thin aired atmosphere of Mt. Chimney. "Team Aqua…they're here in force!"

Maxie smiled, and walked to the edge of the small cliff, overlooking the boiling caldera that was the volcano. "Good. Send a welcome party." He raised his arms. "The guest of honor should be awake at any moment."

The grunt was stills standing there. Maxie flipped back around. "What is it!? Go!"

The grunt looked at his feet, rubbing his right arm. "Yeah…uh….you know those Trainer's you said wouldn't be here?"

"Yes…"

"Yeah, they're here…"

…

We all leapt out of the cable car, not even waiting for it to slowly amble to a stop. Each of us took a Pokéball or two in hand, and ran for the exit.

"Alright," said Sheriff Jenny, taking the lead. "Try not to overexert yourselves! Coupled with the fact that the air up here is hot and stale, we're really high up! The air is thin, so take slow and even breaths!"

"She's right," Flannery said softly. "I'm already getting a little lightheaded."

My friends did seem a little dizzy and off kilter…but I was fine. In fact, I felt better than I did ten minutes ago. My legs were getting the buzzing-tingling feeling I get when I'm excited for something.

Well, I guess I was happy to be able to take town Team Magma and get Cosmo's meteor back, but I wasn't ecstatic about it…for some reason, I just felt reinvigorated.

The last time I felt like this was…was when Juno and I first melded minds outside of Ecruteak City…

Before I could go any further in thought, Jenny pulled me back to the real world.

"And stay on your guard!" she shouted as she flung open the door and we ran outside. "Team Magma most likely knows we're already-"

We stopped, and beheld a scene of utter chaos. Trainers in red uniforms were in a great, unorganized battle with Trainers in blue uniforms.

The Pokémon weren't facing a single opponent: any that wasn't on their side could be subject to attack. A Team Aqua Poochyena could bite down on a Magma Poochyena's neck, and then be faced with a Numel immediately after. Zubats flew through the air, smashing into each other and dive bombing land Pokémon. I even saw a few grunts get into fistfights.

"Come on!" cried Flannery. "We have to find this…thing…and shut it down before it blows the mountain sky high!"

"Wahaha! Well if it isn't William Grey!" I turned to face the hairy-chested leader of Team Aqua. I tapped the two Pokéballs in my hands, and they grew to full size. I didn't have time for this! I'd have to talk him down.

"Listen, Archie! You want the Team Magma leader, don't you? Well, you're giving him plenty of time to escape while you-"

Archie burst out laughing. Even amidst all of the screams and shouts and explosions of this epic battle, it stood out from all of the other sounds.

"Nice try, kid," he said, wiping a tear from his cheek. "But Maxie isn't going anywhere. Not while his doohickey is on the fritz. And I ain't gonna hurtcha. You helped me out in the museum, so I still owe ya!"

I cringed as he broke out laughing again. He was right, I _had _brought him closer to his goal. If it wasn't for me, Team Aqua might me still scratching their heads looking at that map. Wow, what a turn of events. I try to go for the psychological warfare, and _he _ends up with the advantage.

"Alright, here's the deal, kid. You help me find Maxie, we take him down, shut the machine off, and then I give you the rock! Win-win-win! Everyone's happy!"

I tried weighing my options. On one hand, I could probably take Archie by myself, and then end both of the syndicates once and for all. On the other hand, there's not telling who will or won't attack me once the battle is finished, and where it'll go from there.

If I help him, he may get closer to his goal, but Team Magma will be toast.

"Well," said Archie, grinning. He knew I had no other option. No, he knew _I knew _I had no other option. Which was way worse.

Just before I was able to speak, the mountain shook once more.

…

Courtney hopped off of her rock, preparing to engage a few Aquas who had gotten a little too close to Maxie and his machine. Just as she was about to go, however, the mountain shook again, and her head happened to jerk to the eastern side of the mountain.

"Uh…boss…" She pointed a shaky finger at where she was looking at. "I-I th-think I know where those tremors were coming from…"

…...

Everyone; me, Archie, every grunt from every team, my own team, and every Pokémon, stopped. They simply stopped, and with awe looked over to the side of the mountain at what was climbing up.

It was eerie silent, save for a few howling winds, and of course, the beast hosting its long, boulder-chain arm over the side of the mountain.

It stood, finally up, raised its arms to the heavens, and roared.

"RRRRREEEEEEEE-GIIIIIIIII-ROOOOOOOOOOOOAK!"

* * *

**Regirock has returned! Will Will be able to face down this invincible fighting machine, while also taking care of Teams Aqua and Magma, and saving Cosmo's meteor? Or will he have to take Archie's offer of a "temporary alliance?" And why is he receiving the same sensation as he did when he and Jon first melded minds, which is where the pieces of Aria's fragmented conscious finally came together, awakenning Will's power in the first place? Hmmm... Find out next time!**

**On the subject of the saga, I have two announcements. 1). In the not very near future, I plan on doing a rewrite of Part 1 of the saga. It was my first story, I feel like I kinda brushed through that one. Plus, my writing has improved. So, once everything I have planned is finished, I'm gonna do an updated version.**

**2). I have been thinking sooooo much about the future of the saga, namely, Part 5: Reconstruction. I have come up with so much stuff, and I think you guys are gonna love it; it's gonna be the best one yet. But that's just it: there's gonna be a lot of stuff. At first, I wanted it to be one book. Then, I thought about making it two. But I wanted it to still be called "Reconstruction." While the first part may not be as much to do with the whole "reconstructing" thing, I still want it to be called that. So, I finally decided on making two separate stories, but they're just gonna be called Book 1 and Book 2 of "Reconstruction." And to leave you with a little bonus-cliffhanger for the future: yeah, stuff is gonna get destroyed. But the "reconstruction" has absolutely nothing to do with the collateral damage... **

**Anyway, Reader Question! What region is your favorite and why? What would you do if you lived there? For me: Sinnoh. **

**Maxie: Answer and review, if you might take the time.**


	43. Chapter 43: My Trap Card!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Steven Stone's plot to assassinate Team Grey by cutting the cable car was foiled by Zip, and the Team continued to progress up the mountain and stop Team Magma from whatever it is they had planned with Cosmo's meteor. Thanks to a warning from Steven however, they knew Will and Co. were coming. They did not however count on Team Aqua. Or Regirock, for that matter, who is still alive, kicking, and hunting Will. Why is Regirock trying to kill our hero? And what is Aria plotting with Steven? What is Steven plotting with Team Aqua and Team Magma? WHat are they plotting individually? SO MANY PLOTS! Let's find out!**

* * *

"Oh, great!" I rolled my eyes and stepped back. "NOW it's a party!" I was going to yell aloud and ask if El Mapache Loco was gonna show up too, but I didn't want to tempt fate.

Archie looked at me and grinned. I groaned; he knew my hand had been forced.

"So, how's that deal lookin'?"

I sighed. "Fine. But once Regirock and Maxie are defeated, it's over! Got that!?"

The leader of Team Aqua held out his hand. "A deal is a deal. Temporary alliance?"

I sighed again, and shook his hand. 'Temporary alliance." I wasted no more time after that, throwing both of the Pokéballs in my hands. "Grunt, Skipper, let's go!"

"Mawsh!"

"Kua!"

My two partners came out of their Pokéballs, rearing and ready to go. Maybe it would be different this time, now that I had my Pokémon with me. Then again, a couple thousand Trapinch and a falling temple didn't stop this guy…

"Walrein, come on! Let's show this pile o' dirt the power of the ocean!"

A lethargic seal Pokémon appeared before Archie. Although on top of a volcano it couldn't be any more out of its element, it still looked imposing. That thing had to be at least 300 pounds! And couple with those long, sabre like tusks…I wouldn't wanna be caught at the wrong end of an angry one of those. Or underneath one, for that matter.

I heard twin beeps from my pocket. I took out Dex, and to my surprise, he flipped open, and displayed a picture and information of Walrein.

_Walrein_

_The Ice Break Pokémon_

_Not only does its thick blubber keep it warm, it also protects it from attacks. It shatters ice with its prized tusks._

"Dex, you working again?"

_Yes. I don't see anything wrong. I should be up at 100% for the foreseeable future._

I was surprised not to receive a rude comeback from the encyclopedia. "Why-know what, never mind. I'll ask later." I shoved him back into my pocket and turned my attention back to Regirock.

"Do you often argue with inanimate objects?" asked Archie with a laugh.

"You don't even wanna know." Regirock was slowly approaching now. Since I wasn't that far away, it must've deemed throwing boulders unnecessary. I turned to the legion of dumbstruck grunts.

"Listen, all of you! This thing, to my knowledge, is literally invincible! But if we all work together, we can find a way to defeat it!"

It may not have seemed that imposing to them anymore, as it was simply lumbering towards me now, but I knew the damage this thing could do. If we didn't attack, first-and fast, for that matter-our Zangoose would be cooked.

"Why should we listen to some dumb kid!?" shouted one of the grunts. My neck itched as sweat began to break out.

"Because if you _don't_, you won't live to see your next paycheck!" shouted Archie in my defense. Of all the people I expected to defend me, Archie was definitely not number one. "That goes double for Team Aqua members! If Rocky over here doesn't make sure you don't see the next payday, I will!"

He glared at the nearest white and blue clad grunts. "And I don't mean I'm gonna fire ya…"

That was the…inspiration they needed…I guess. Almost all at once, they ordered their Pokémon to attack Regirock. Zubat flung themselves at the hulking best, but simply bounced back off. Embers from Numels and Water Guns from Carvanha did nothing. Teeth and claws failed. Regirock paid no mind to those who assailed it; it simply batted them aside and continued towards me.

"Skipper, Water Gun! Grunt, throw some rocks! I don't want you getting too close!" Skipper launched a pressurized geyser of water from his mouth, and Grunt picked up a large boulder, and hurled it at Regirock. It stumbled back one step when it was struck in the face with Water Gun, but just kept going. It swatted the boulder as it neared the target, turning it into gravel and dust.

"Walrein, Ice Ball!" cried Archie, pointing at Regirock. "Fire!"

Walrein raised its head to the sky, and a glowing light-blue ball began to appear. It solidified into a sphere of solid ice once it reached the size of a small car, and Walrein launched it at Regirock.

Now that did some actual damage. Regirock fell flat on its back. As I turned to coordinate a follow up attack with Archie, I noticed the device in question. It was on the edge of a cliff which was jutting into the center of the volcano pit. I could see five…maybe six Team Magmas.

I turned back to Regirock. One of its boulder chain arms was slowly reaching around its body, and slammed itself into the ground. Pressure was put on the arm, and Regirock began to tilt sideways. I hadn't much time before it fully lifted itself off the ground.

"Archie, hold it off!" I cried as I took off. "I'm gonna go stop Maxie!"

He grunted. "Sounds good! We-" he turned to address his own men, but was sorely disappointed. The great battle between both sides had resumed, due to a misfire from a Team Magma attack onto a Team Aqua Pokémon. The fight went on, ignored by Regirock.

Well, that lasted a good ten seconds.

"Guys! I called to my friends as I dashed off towards the cliff. "Help keep Regirock down!"

"Got it!" cried Wes. "Swinub, Grovyle, you're up!"

"Camerupt, help us out!" Flannery sent out her Camerupt. It spread its four legs apart and snorted, white steam pouring out. It lowered its head, ready to charge.

"Alright-uh…" Burgundy didn't really know who to use. Togepi, Plusle, Minun, and Skitty were all too small and fragile. Plus, they're attack wouldn't do anything. That just left…

Burgundy sighed as she took out her last remaining Pokémon. "Go, Apiom…"

"Ook, ook, aipa!" The purple monkey sprung right up from the ground the second it was sent out, clasping onto Burgundy's face and suspending itself above her with its tail. It cheered and clapped.

Burgundy finally managed to. Pry him off. "Tch, not me, you idiot! Get Regirock!"

Aipom turned and scampered up onto Regirock, running up and down its arms and torso like some sort of jungle gym.

"Maker!" I turned to see Zip hovering beside me. "I will accompany you, in order to safely turn off this machine. Is that satisfactory?"

"Yeah, sure, so much satisfaction," I puffed while running. I didn't really have time to argue.

Avoiding skirmishes between grunts, as well as plume of toxic air shooting from the ground, I raced towards the extension of rock stretching out into the maw of the volcano. From the looks of it, Maxie and the two technicians were turned towards the machine. Maybe I could catch them by surprise…

I screamed, but it was drowned out by all of the noise around my. I tripped on something long and thick, falling flat and skidding for a few feet. I tried to pick myself up, but something slammed down on my back. I heard a hiss.

I heard a clang, and then a thud. Turning my head the best I could, I saw Zip, pressed against the ground by a black hoof.

"M-maker…"his voice flickered as pressure was applied. I-I'm sorry I failed you…" His eye screen cracked, and blue sparks flared around his body.

"No…" I ground, as I felt a long, trunk-like entity wrap my body, and lift me up. It turned me to face a Seviper, which was trapping me. Behind it, stroking its head was Courtney. And behind her were two men. One was hank. The other was tall and muscular, with black falling onto his shoulders from his hood.

"How nice to see you again, Willy," cooed Courtney, tickling her Seviper under the chin. Its forked tongue shot out in delight. I really wish I had brought Vendetta… "I'm glad you could show up for our little display!"

"You look tense, Marina," I choked; my rib cage feeling like it would cave in at any moment. "Why not take a hot bath or something…"

She flinched; both at the mention of her old name and water. She nodded her head behind me, and walked out of my line of sight. Seviper stretched its tail out, and turned me around. My head was forced to look down at that boiling lake of lava below.

Seviper turned me to face Courtney, who was grinning sadistically. "How's that 'hot bath' sound to you? I'll go if you go."

I jerked my head. "You first. I like to test the temperature before I swim."

She "tsk tsk tsk"d, and walked back. Seviper once again turned me. "Seviper, I don't appreciate his tone. Would you mind showing him some manners?"

I screamed again as Seviper's grip tightened, further constricting me. Immense pain shot through my arms and ribcage. I assumed some were now broken.

I flicked my fingers to try and grab something, but my Pokéballs were out of reach. Zip was being crushed by that Camerupt. It was up to me.

I thought as hard as I could. Coupled with regular schooling, the last year of a Trainer's education had special classes teaching a fledgling Trainer how to survive on their own in the wild. We covered basic things, like what berries could be eaten, how to filter natural water, how to use the stars as a map.

We also went over each and every Pokémon native to the Kanto region. There was a special class on each, to prepare you in case an encounter with one in the wild went wrong. What did they say from Arbok? That's the most Seviper-like Pokémon I could think of.

Arbok's main method of capturing and killing its prey was constriction, just like Seviper. Now what was the lesson…?

I gasped as it suddenly came to me, and regretted it as pain filled my lungs as oxygen should have. I remembered what to do.

I took a deep breath through my nose, and dropped my shoulders. I relaxed each and every muscle in my body.

Seviper's coil, which once felt like I was being clamped by a thousand Machamp now felt like a loose rope. With a sharp and sudden kick to the ground, I sent myself out of Seviper's grip. I fell on my back, all of my broken bones reminding me that they were in fact broken.

I hear applause from the FireHeads. "Nice trick, kid," came the cocky voice of Hank. "Looks like someone took notes in school."

"Seventeenth in my class," I groaned, rolling over onto my non-broken arm to take the pressure off of my broken one.

"I say we stomp 'em now," came the deep, almost dumb sounding voice of the big guy.

As the conversation went on, I was lost from it. My ears began to buzz. My brain began to throb. A feeling the likes of which I had never before felt coursed through my veins. It felt like an adrenaline rush, coupled with a sugar rush, times a thousand.

And then my bones began to heal.

…...

"What the-"

"What is it?" snapped Maxie at his technician who had suddenly looked up from his repair job of the machine, to pay attention to the meteor. "What's going o-"

Maxie looked at the meteor. It was resonating; glowing with a fluorescent mist of blue and silver.

"It appears to be reacting to something, sir."

But what…

…

Karrgon and Shear rushed into the command room. The found a group of their operators frantically tapping away at their stations on a large console. On the screen above them was an outline of a human, with flashing lights and alerts all around it. The inside of the shape was flashing blue.

"What is it!?" cried the Commander, his iron grip finding itself on the back of one of the operator's chairs.

"It's The Alpha, sir!" she cried back, not looking away from her work. "His Cryo levels! They've gone critical!"

"What could cause that, though…?" The Commander asked softly to himself.

"An overwhelming presence of raw cosmic energy."

"But what's the result?" asked Shear, not understanding the "how we get there" part, but the wanting to know the "what happens when we get there" aspect.

The operator was silent for a moment. "Since you weren't on the best terms with The Alpha last time the two of you met…let's just say it's a good thing you're here and not there."

…

One of the FireHeads must've said something funny, because when I was slowly getting to my feet, they all ceased laughing and looked at me, like I was a zombie returning to life. I might as well have been…

"H-how!?" stammered Courtney. "This isn't fair!"

"Relax," said Hank, sneering and crossing his arms. "We have him literally back against a cliff with no Pokémon. We can finish him at any second."

"Yeah! Let's smash 'em!" cried the big guy.

"Thank you, Tabitha."

I snickered. "Your name…your name is Tabitha!?"

The guy's face jerked like I had just punched him in the gut. "S-so!"

I burst out laughing, forgetting the whole "back to a volcano" part. "Tabitha! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I wish Flannery were over here right now!"

"I was supposed to be a girl, okay!" he cried, getting all tense and defensive. His head snapped to Courtney, who was giggling herself. Apparently, she and Hank had to try their best to not laugh at him 24/7. "J-just kill him already!"

She nodded, and pointed at me. "Seviper, if you would be so kind…"

Seviper's tail glowed purple, as it prepared a Poison Tail attack. The sensation from before snapped back. My pupils began to dilate. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was a shaky image of Seviper about to stab its tail at me.

It all faded. All I saw was a rush of grey, like I was flying through a tunnel at supersonic speeds. I heard whispers all around me, as the feeling returned to me.

_Destroy_

_Kill_

_Assault_

_Assert_

_Reclaim_

_Cast off_

_Revenge_

_Reclaim_

My vision snapped back. And I nearly soiled myself.

I was holding back the Poison Tail attack…with the index and middle finger of my right hand. They were glowing blue. Seviper strained and pressed, but could do nothing.

This feeling…it was great! I felt amazing! Invincible! I was a god!

The great god Will was sent crashing to the Earth, as he was forced to tuck and roll under Regirock's crushing fist. I came up, back to the FireHeads. Regirock turned and faced us. Apparently, whatever had happened to me, it had painted an even bigger target on my head.

"What're you waiting for!" cried Tabitha as I backed up. "Kill him! He ain't lookin'!"

"I-I-think I kinda wanna be his friend now…" stammered Courtney. Disgusting. The whelp had lost all of her power, and now she was cowering for my help. I should smite her where she-

I shook my head. _What was I thinking? _Violently destroying a human being? Where did these thoughts come from…?

More importantly, where was this power coming from? I ducked under another swing of Regirock's arms. When I popped back up, I noticed the blue glow coming from that machine.

I took in a breath, and once again felt stimulated. The meteor! It was feeding me this…cosmic energy. But why?

Well, whatever it was, I needed more of it. That glass container on the top must be bottling the energy up. I needed to remove it.

"Giiiiii." Regirock swung again, narrowly missing. I stumbled, and fell on my back. From the rock its arm shattered, a sharp chip rolled near me, brushing my fingertips. I felt it, and sensing it was just what I needed, grabbed it.

I propped myself up quickly, preparing to hurl the rock. But Regirock was blocking my target. And it was closer than I thought it would be. It raised an arm high up, blotting out the sun. This was it.

It brought its arm down. I closed my eyes, and blanked out again.

When I opened them, I nearly fell on my aching knees. Wait, _aching knees…?_

I looked down. I was standing, albeit hunched over. I could feel my arms raised above my head. And around me…ha, around me…

A thin, glowing blue bubble held Regirock's arm away from me. I was really putting up a fight. I was still in this!

But I could feel that energy, that brilliant sensation draining out of my arms. Regirock raised its own, and backed up, preparing for another strike.

I gasped, trying desperately to catch my breath. My arms fell limp at my sides. I heard a clicking sound as the rock I had held in my hand fell to the ground.

I looked up weakly as Regirock raised another rocky fist. This was really it. There would be no dodging this time. No energy shield. I was too weak to move.

And then thunder ripped through the air. Regirock turned slightly to its left. Sheriff Jenny leapt off of her rock and let out another burst from her shotgun. The shell bounced harmlessly off of Regirock's solid carapace, even kicking off a few sparks.

"Will, now!" she cried, running directly at Regirock, and letting off a few more shots. I wasted no time. I took a stance like a baseball pitcher, and then let my rock fly.

It soared through the air like a miniature spear, and did nothing more than incite a small _PING _when it struck the glass.

"Really?" laughed Maxie. "That's the best you ca-"

A few cracks spider webbed on the top of the class dome. Which was just enough. The blue and silver mist poured out and onto me.

The energy surged back into my veins, one-hundredfold. I clenched my fists and raised them to eye level, examining the blue energy crackling around them.

And that's just why this happened. I turned just in time to see Regirock swung one of its rocky arms at Jenny, striking her square in the thigh. She flew back, her shotgun falling out of her grip. The sheriff hit her head on a rock, and slumped down, out cold.

"No!" I cried, staring down Regirock one last time. My shoulders raised. I was no longer thinking this through; this was pure instinct from who knows where.

My elbows went back, and I could feel the power manifesting in my arms. With one last roar, I pushed both of my arms forward, palms outstretched. A burst of blue energy shot out at Regirock.

That wouldn't be nearly enough to topple the behemoth. But I wasn't aiming for it.

The rocks beneath Regirock's feet crumbled when the energy hit them, the weight from the titan loosening them more. Regirock's arms instinctively flailed back to catch itself on the ground, but there was no ground to catch. It fell back, and plummeted into the volcano.

I didn't do the cliché "look down into the volcano as it sinks into the lava." The energy once again leaving me, I began to limp towards the crumpled form Sheriff Jenny.

I was only a few feet away when I blacked out.

* * *

**I finally figured out how to do a horizontal line! How dumb am I!?**

**I just thought I'd address one thing in this chapter: I swear I didn't pull the "Will having a reserve over power" thing out of my rear. I hope I did a good enough job on building up/foreshadowing Will's hidden potential, awakened by his integration into Plasma Advance and Aria.**

**Okay, so, Reader Question! Who is your favorite character from the anime? Mine is obviously Burgundy. I could talk for hours on why I love her so much...ahem. I'll fanboy about Burgundy later. Answer and review!**

**Tabitha: Yeah! What he says! And my name isn't that lame!**


	44. Chapter 44: Hidden in Flame

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Co. were greeted at the top of Mt. Chimney by not only Teams Aqua and Magma, but Regirock as well. A fragile peace is brokered between Will and Archie to but time for Will to shut off Team Magma's mystery machine. But when he gets there, he and Zip are ambushed and quickly subdued by the FireHead Trio. But thanks to the mysterious properties of Cosmo's meteor, a dormant power is briefly awakened inside Will, giving him the power to not only escape, but to hold off Regirock. In the end, Sheriff Jenny is critically wounded by the titan, enraging Will to the point where his power's escalate enough to knock Regirock into the fiery pit below. He attempts to reach Jenny, but falls unconscious before he gets there. What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

I sluggishly opened my eyes…or at least I thought I did. Everything was pitch black around me. I groaned. Another dream paradox land…who is it this time…?

"I sense you feel unwelcome here. Cast off those feelings. Your duty expects more of you."

I turned, and out of the darkness came a red light. It was moving towards me, as a walking pace. In fact, it bobbed up and down, as if a human body walking.

As it got closer, I could distinguish features…it was Iram. The warrior from one of my dreams.

"Y-you…you're…"

He stopped in front of me and nodded. He was a red hologram like figure, kind of like Aria, but she was blue. He nodded. "Yes. I am the Red Blade. Iram the Great. Right hand of the King." He sounded kinda like Javik from Mass Effect…

I was shaken from my awe by my past. My expression turned to one of uncertainty; anger even. "Wait, you're not gonna try and take over my body, are you?"

He shook his head. "No, I only remain to council you."

I rolled my eyes. "Great. More head ghost. Move right in, whatever…not like I have a say in the matter…"

"Destiny is cruel, young one," said Iram in a forceful tone. "In that, you are right. We are never called on when we are ready. Always in times of peace is such interrupted by chaos. And so the good must face the wicked, and pay for the safety of the innocent with their lives."

"Do you mean I'm gonna die!?"

"Death isn't the only means of payment for one's life," explained the warrior. Hands folded behind his back, he began to pace in front of me as he talked. "As much as it sickened me that The Serpent Queen would drag a child into her schemes, it must be done. For the good of the many, you must forfeit what would be a normal childhood for the world."

"Alright, I'll bite. What 'Grand Destiny' awaits me now?"

"None. You have yet to reach the start of you're The Reclamation. Aria has simply tempted the weak minded with power, as a means to achieve her goals."

May and Steven. Those traitors…Aria gave Steven the notions that he could control the two beasts! She's playing them! Playing them so that they'd play Teams Aqua and Magma! Well, I guess that explains why their plans suck so badly…

"Goals? Power?"

"This is a story you have heard long ago. From your ancestor, my master, Greyson. An evil king wielded the power of three ancient monsters. This power was maintained through three orbs. In order to relinquish control from the orbs, and calm the beasts, three heroes needed to sacrifice their souls."

He stopped and faced me. "Two did."

"And the third?"

"Aria."

"I don't understand…" Why do the dead need to always drop their baggage on me!?

"You will further one day. Until then, you just need to know that I, along with my wife, gave our souls to stop two of the beasts. But that was only two. A third soul was required, to go into the orb itself for eternity, and suppress the evil king's control over the beasts. Greyson was prepared to do so. For the good of the world."

He looked me in the eyes again when he said that last part, trying to make me own up more to my "responsibilities."

"But, a chance to rid the world of Aria and her menace was presented, and she was sent instead. But not before she laid her curse."

"Curse?"

"Not actual magic, but she used the power bestowed upon your family for evil. She made it so that the great fire that was your family's legacy and power would die out. We thought that she was only bluffing; that it was a hoax. But we believe that is was caused the Civil War…and The Cataclysms.

"Eventually, with each generation, that great fire died to a tiny spark, which would await a wind to blow: to either make it burn bright once again, or to simply be snuffed out."

"I still have NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!"

I looked almost furious now. Shoulder hunched, fists clenched, he marched over to me and stuck a holographic finger into my face. "Enough games, child! You must step up and finish what we started! What we failed to do!

"A group of foolish mortals discovered the orbs, and found we were inside. Their desire for knowledge led them to foolishly release us. This broke the spell; this awakened the beasts we sought to destroy, but could not. This will throw the world into chaos, and give Aria the chance to find her quarry!"

"What is her quarry though?"

"An ancient device called The Cartographer."

Something sounded weird with the ancient warrior's message. "Wait, you said ancient…"

"It was ancient, even to us, a civilization you refer to as 'ancient.' No one knew where it came from, who built it, or even how it works. But we know what it did.

"The Cartographer could locate anything. It could make a map to anything in the world. Whether it be a town, a person, an item, an specific grain of sand, this marvel could locate it. Aria wants this. She flooded the minds of the weak with the delusions of awakening and controlling Kyogre and Groudon so that they would find the device for her. So she could locate her true quarry."

"True quarry?"

Iram was silent. "I…I don't know. My being is...fractured from the Incursion. You see, in an attempt with the fools to communicate with me, to learn my secrets, I was forcibly injected into the mind of another, to speak with him. We fought for control of the body. In the end, the strain became too much. He went insane, and I was almost lost in the maelstrom of his thoughts."

"Maelstrom…no way! _You're _the reason he went crazy with power!?"

He sighed. "In a way…"

Did that explain how Aria got inside of me and Juno…Maybe not, but we were getting close to finding out. Maybe my dad could finally give me the pieces that I needed. I shook my head. Wait…shaking my head while thinking inside a dream, which is a thought, which is inside my head. Double inception…wait, wouldn't that make it an infinite inception…

I shook my head again (not gonna think about it this time!) and looked back to Iram. "This 'true quarry,' do you know anything more about it?"

"All I can piece together is…it was designed by my wife. It wasn't another _ancient _ancient artifact, but it is one of unspeakable and immeasurable power…"

This felt so good. Finally having some solid answers! Finally coming out of the dark…so to speak.

"Wait…how did you get inside of me?" I asked, continuing the question stream, and hoping they got answered.

"After your first encounter with the one called Maelstrom, I managed to concentrate long enough to transfer a significant portion of my being into your device…what was it called. A Pokédex?"

Okay, this was just getting weird. "Wait, you were _in _Dex? _That's _why he was so rude!?"

"Our personalities…clashed. But that should no longer be an issue now that I reside in here."

I rolled my eyes. "And I'm so glad to have ya here.

"Okay, so next question-"

"Do children of this generation have so much unanswered?" Iram interrupted with a question of his own.

"Yes. And my head, my rules. So…who was your wife?"

"She was a woman named Venus."

My eyes bugged out of my head. "Venus! You mean the lady that-"

"I know what you are going to say, and yes, we did have our disagreements. I preferred a straightforward approach, though I held myself back when necessary, and she preferred to think things through. What you saw in your vision was a bit of a reverse. Only in extreme situations did my wife feel the need for immediate action.

"From earth, ice, and steel she spawn three hunters. Three perfect killers that would not stop until their goal was found. And by found, I mean dead."

"That's why Regirock is following me…Aria must've left some sort of mark on me, wait, what!?" My head shot back up from looking down, thinking. "There are _three!?"_

"Un-killable, to my knowledge." He turned his back to me and started pacing again.

"Gee, thanks…that sure makes me feel better…"

"I'm sure you'll find a way. Once your power fully awakens, you'll be a force to be reckoned with. Arguably greater than Greyson himself. Magic and science together are an unstoppable force."

"How do I unlock my power."

"Simply put? Wait. Wait until you can reclaim what is yours. Until you make the Grey line great once more. Then you will restore your ancestor's legacy to glory."

Well…more waiting for more answers. Glorious…and who even knows what's waiting for me on the road ahead? What will I be waiting for?

And that word…reclaim…that was one of the words I heard when I blanked out. And that thing Iram mentioned…The Reclamation…what was that?

"Okay, one more thing to send me off. What do I have to do to make sure that Groudon and Kyogre don't wake up."

"You must find the three orbs. Return them to their rightful place atop Mt. Pyre. That is the only way you can keep the world from falling to ruin.

"Good luck, young William. I will be watching your progress with great interest. As will others…"

And that was the end of that conversation. The whole "ghost in my head" thing is really starting to get old.

Well, I know who I'm gonna call when I wake up…

…

I groaned as the aforementioned event took place. I shifted my body around. That cosmic energy stuff really did fix all of my bones. I wish I could say the same for Jenny…

Shooting up from my laid down position, I examined the room. I was in a hospital room, probably at the Pokémon Center. As I prepared to throw off my covers, a hand reached over and clutched my shoulder.

"Easy there, champ. Relax a little, kay?" I turned to see Burgundy, sitting in a chair beside my bed.

"Where are we?" I asked my companion.

"Lavaridge Town. We had to carry your butt all the way down Mt. Chimney to get here."

I groaned and put my face into my hands. "I've got to stop making a habit of entering new towns like this."

Burgundy giggled. "Yeah, that would be a good idea."

My mind flashed back to the two people I was worrying for. And the thing I was worrying about. "Jenny and Zip-"

"Are fine," the connaisseuse assured me, purring one of her soft hands on mine, which was clamped tightly around the bedframe. "Zip is being looked at by a local machinist. They said they'd fix him up good as new. Jenny got off a little worse than you did, though. Broken hip, fractured more of the bones in her right leg. She'll be laid up for a good few months."

Her eyes lit up and she jumped up. "But that cosmic energy thing! With the-" she waved her arms above her head and made a "_FCHEW!_" sound. "That was _awesome!_ Can you do it again!?"

I let out a chuckled as I scratched the back of my head. "No…I don't think so. I don't have the energy; that was provided by the meteor. I dunno know how, though. I think it had something to do with whatever Team Plasma did to me on Cinnabar."

Burgundy nodded, albeit a bit disappointedly. "Alright…speaking of which, we sent it back to Cosmo. He wanted to thank you, by the way. Oh, and for sending the meteor back."

"What else is he thanking me for?"

"For setting him up with Lanette. They're really happy together. Oh, by the way, they volunteered to take care of Jenny while she recovers."

Well, that would definitely be…I have no idea how to describe that. At least Jenny could test her patience while she's laid up.

But she did save my life. I'd need to thank her eventually.

I laid back down, thinking about my conversation with Iram. I know had a better idea of what was going on. Aria wants this Cartographer thing, and she's tricking Archie and Maxie into thinking they can control Kyogre and Groudon so they find it for her. I need to get these three orbs and return them to Mt. Pyre…seems easy enough.

And those rough details about the spirits, I hoped my dad could fill in. But a few other things…

"Burgundy," I said, turning to my friend, "You're from Unova, right?"

She was silent for a moment. She looked down at her lap. "Yeah…yeah, I am."

"Can you tell me about an even called 'The Cataclysms?'"

That snapped her out of her funk. "The Cataclysms?" she asked with a sideways glance. "Why do you wanna know about those?"

"It's, uh…hard to explain right now…"

"Okay, well, The Cataclysms…"

We both turned forward to see Flannery burst through the door. A smile on her face, she plopped down at the foot of my bed. "Well, Joy says you're good to go. You can leave whenever you're ready!"

"Sweet." I would've expected something to have been detected by the medical equipment…like the cosmic energy that had been flowing through my veins…but I guess when it left, it _left_.

"Alright," I stretched, and sat up, my legs dangling over the side of the bed and my feet hitting the floor. "I'm gonna want that Gym battle now…"

She cocked her head to the side. "You don't even wanna stop and enjoy the Fire Festival?"

"I thought that wasn't until July?" The Fire Festival was a tradition in Lavaridge Town, dating back thousands of years where the citizens of the town would put on an elaborate celebration to please the god of the volcano, in hopes of not ticking him off for the rest of the year and preventing any eruptions. There would be days of feasts, dancing, sacrifices…

Well, there weren't any sacrifices these days, but they did have a pretty mean stew they'd whip up on the last day.

"Well, it moves up whenever there are tremors. That's the tradition." I recalled what Flannery had told me of the event when we were younger. It was basically the yearly carnival or fair for Lavaridge Town. It took place towards the end of July, during the summer, where temperatures usually reached their peak. But if any quakes were detected in the area, the festival would be bumped up.

Flannery put on a puppy-dog face. "Pleeeeeease. It only happens once a year…"

The bed shook briefly as Burgundy crawled on and faced me, putting on a sad face of her own. "Yeah, Will, pleeeeeeease…"

I sighed, playfully shoving the two girls out of the way so I could get up. "Fine. We could all use some relaxation. A little fun."

"Yay!" they screamed in unison, and bolted from the room, giggling. I sighed. So this is what it's like to have a little sister…

Too bad I missed out all of those years.

I wish Juno was here.

* * *

**Awww, Will is having separation anxiety from his twin sister. **

**Well, might as well do the cliffhanger now (sorry I forgot the last few times). Will has received a cryptic warning from Iram, his ancestor's trusted adviser, that if he does not unite the three orbs and find The Cartographer before Aria, than the world will be in jeopardy. And having decided that he and his friends have been through a lot in the past few days, Will has also decided to take a break at the yearly Fire Festival of Lavaridge Town. Nothing bad can happen at a festival, right? I guess you'll have to stick around and find out...**

**Reader Question Tiiiiime. Yoooooooom-ta! I just love Wigglytuff...anyway, for those of you who woudl get this question (if you don't, drop whatever you are doing and watch Avatar the Last Airbender) what element would you bend? For me, I'd be a water bender. That's another thing I could argue till the end of the day about (along with Burgundy being a good character, the anime going downhill, and Mark Hamill being a tremendous actor in the first Star Wars movie). In my opinion, water bending is the best. Not gonna go into a tangent about it now, but maybe someday. **

**Anyway, answer and review, and lollipops and gold coins will rain from the sky! Maybe.**

**Iram: It is your destiny to review...**


	45. Chapter 45: A Day at the Festival!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will had another mysterious dream, seeing and talking to another spirit. He was familiar, but they had never met before; Iram, Greyson's right hand man. Iram explains that he, Aria, and another had been trapped in the three orbs of Hoenn, him and the other voluntarily, and Aria, for unknown reasons, had been forced in. Apparently, the presence of their spirits there broke the evil King Hoenn's control of the three legendary beasts, and ended the Ancient War. But now, these orbs have been disturbed, and Will is apparently tasked with reuniting them to stop another coming of Groudon and Kyogre. He also finds out that Teams Aqua and Magma are all pawns in Aria's elaborate game. Through manipulating their leaders, Aria wishes to locate an ancient device called The Cartographer, and use its mysterious powers to locate something else. Struggling to accept this, Will awakens to find that Burgundy has been watching over him the whole time he has been unconscious. Flannery then arrives, and informs Will of the annual Fire Festival occurring in Lavaridge Town. With a little convincing from Burgundy, Will decides to take some time of from the journey and enjoy the festival. What will happen next? Find out now!**

I felt fantastic after my shower. Presented with the chance to wash off all of the soot, grime, sweat and other filth accumulated during our mountaintop battle, I had jumped at it like a Politoed standing on a grill.

I walked out into the lobby, and was clasped by my shoulders before I could even discern who was there. Emile laughed and shook me.

"Dude, that was like, _incredible! _I've never seen anything like that in my life!" The Ranger beamed some more and slapped me on the back.

"Easy!" cried Burgundy, running over and putting herself in between me and Emile. I felt her small hand touch my chest. "_Soigneux_! Will's still hurt from when Grimlock attacked him!"

"Actually…I'm fine."

Burgundy looked up at me confused. "Huh?"

"My scars. They don't even hurt anymore. They've pretty much faded away."

Wes scratched his chin. "It could have something to do with that cosmic energy…your broken bones did heal after Regirock's attack…"

Regirock…the invincible titan Iram mentioned. Had I finally defeated it? Was it gone for good? I asked Wes this.

"As far as we know, you took that mother down," said Wes, "If it's alive, then it's too scared to drag its sorry butt out of that pit.

"But still, at the core of a volcano, it's hot enough to melt solid rock. I think you took it down."

"And the teams…"

"They got away," Burgundy said coyly, shuffling her feet. "We couldn't stop them. I'm sorry, Will."

I placed a hand on the connaisseuse's shoulder. She looked up at me, her lilac eyes shimmering. "It wasn't your fault. If I hadn't clocked out, than we would've gotten them."

Burgundy shook herself out of it. "Yeah, you're right!" She patted me on the stomach and proudly strutted towards the door. "You need to quick slackin' off, Will!"

I laughed weakly and scratched the back of my head, looking at Wes and Emile. Well, at least she had her confidence back…

I shook myself out of my own funk. "Guys, what're we waiting for? Let's celebrate! We finally ditched that monster! There's a festival on!"

It was true that we deserved a break. In the last few days we (well, mostly me) had survived a swarm of Trapinch(twice), an ancient golem(twice), a falling temple, a stalker-ish fangirl(multiple times), a crazy Skarmory(twice), a Seviper(twice), Teams Aqua and Magma(twice), and an erupting volcano.

And while all that would break most people, that wasn't the only weight on my mind. What Iram had just said…about my "destiny." About how it had to be me who stops Groudon and Kyogre from destroying the world, and keep Aria from finding The Cartographer.

And that "Reclamation" thing. What did that mean?

I just needed to forget for a while. I deserved it. We all did.

…

"Alright, everyone, come on out!"

There were several loud pops and white flashes as Wes, Burgundy and I all let out our Pokémon. Assembled before us was our small group of faithful followers. They had been contributing to everything as much as we had, if not more. They deserved a little R&R.

"Alright, here's the deal," Is said, putting my hands on my knees to get a little closer to my Pokémon. "You guys have free reign of the carnival. Go out, have some fun, but I want you to observe some rules. Wes and Burgundy and I all agreed on these.

"Rule number one: no leaving the city. If you can help it, stay on the fair grounds at all times.

"Rule number two: be polite. If someone needs your help, you give it to them. If you bump into someone, say you're sorry. If a Pokémon tries to start a fight with you, be the bigger Pokémon walk away.

"And rule number three: just be on your best behavior in general. I think Pokémon get food free, so there's no reason to steal or anything."

I stared down Aipom specifically. "_Got that_?"

Aipom sheepishly laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"Come find us when you're done. If you can't, just come back to the Pokémon Center. Got it?"

A mixed wave of Pokémon sounds assured me that everything was cool, and they were on their way. They left in small groups; no one was alone. Plusle and Minun were obviously together. Grovyle, Skipper, CJ, and Grunt headed off on their own way. Aron, Skitty, Aipom and Swinub formed their own group, and headed off. Slakoth and Torch sluggishly made their way to the road leading to the hot springs. Figures.

There were a few exceptions however. Togepi remained with Burgundy, as it was still a youngster, and probably couldn't handle the sudden freedom of wondering about a carnival. And Scout and Grimlock remained in their own Pokéballs.

I didn't think Scout was ready to handle so much commotion, as well as the crowds of people crowding the streets. And Grimlock…well, let's just say when I was about to send him out, I saw two little girls with a jump rope, and received a disturbing vision of Grimlock slurping up said jump rope like a piece of spaghetti, two pairs of small shoes at his feet.

"So, what should we do first?" asked Burgundy. I could tell she was a bit jumpy, and wanted to go and see what there was to see. I remembered back in Viridian City when the fair was in town. The second my family passed through the gates I'd want to immediately do something. But my parents or my sister would get caught up at the beginning, talking to someone they knew or waiting for a friend.

I decided to do something about that feeling. "Let's do everything!"

We made our way down the fairgrounds, which were sectioned into rows by the dozens of booths set up for the festivities. Forming an outer ring in the center of the ocean of booths were the rides and attractions. In the middle of that was the heart of the festival: the core where a stage and dining pavilion was set up.

There were booths of all shapes and sizes, as to be expected at any fair. But the dominant colors were red, yellow and orange, as festive apparel and foods were sold. Lines were long as people waited to purchase their special item or food dish available only once a year.

And it didn't help that the festival was about heat. Golden braziers dotted the fairground, as well as tiki torches. At a festival like this, I hoped the local fire department was on standby.

"I think I saw an antique booth back there," said Wes, jerking his thumb to a large tent with a few tables on the outside, decorated with old looking pottery and other sculptures. "My mom eats that stuff up. Her birthday is coming soon. I'm gonna go check it out."

"I'll come with," said Emile. "I uh…like old stuff too…"

Wes rolled his eyes as he turned around and began to walk towards the tent. "You thought the girl working there was cute, didn't you?"

"She was the nicest thing in that booth."

The two of them laughed as they made their way back. Burgundy and I turned and continued on.

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked Burgundy as we passed the unofficial threshold leading to the circle of rides and games.

"I wanna try one of those games!" said Burgundy with fire in her eyes. "I never win at those! It's time to prove myself, though! I've been training for years, and this time, I' m gonna win a prize!"

"Toke triii!" cheered Togepi, waving her little arms in the air.

I patted my connaisseuse friend on the back. "That's the spirit. Maybe if you put this kind of enthusiasm into training, you could finally beat me."

She stomped on my foot. "Well, you want to but a wager on it? There's an area filled with fields to battle, I saw it on the map! I've improved a lot, you know!"

Finally regaining my balance, I faced her again. "What about that prize."

Conflict appeared on the girl's face as she weighed her options. "Fine," she growled. "But once I get that stuffed Teddiursa, you're next…"

…

"Aw, come on!"

Burgundy's valiant seventh trial had ended in defeat. In her defense, that pyramid of three bottles was pretty intimidating…nah, I'm just kidding. Chick can't throw a baseball for her life!

"Burgundy, I've spent close to 200 Poké on this stupid game! Can we just move on?"

She grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me to eye level. "The Teddiursa, Will. I must have it!"

"Burg, I can but you one at that tent over there for half as much as the first try was!"

"I have to win it!" she declared, heroically posing and sticking her finger in the air. "This silly game has insulted my honor as a connaisseuse! I must defeat it!"

The portly ma running the game sighed. "You gonna try again, missy? There's a line behind ya."

She awkwardly held her epic pose for a minute more, and then released. "Fine…"

Well, it felt kinda odd that she was agreeing to it, yet I was paying. I dug my Trainer card back out of my pocket, and flashed it to make the transaction.

This was getting tedious. Time to…even the odds.

As Burgundy picked up her baseball, I stuck my right hand in my pocket. And then I focused.

I exerted a puny amount of energy on the ball. Even so, I felt a twinge in my gut as a cramp began to form. Even the tiniest bit of energy drained me. Iram was right; I'd need to train.

I focused, forming an invisible field around the ball. Burgundy brought her arm back, and then I struck.

Just as it left her fingertips, my eyes shot wide open as I sent the ball flying with a burst of energy. It tore through he battles, shattering them. What's more, it ripped through the back of the tent.

Both Burgundy and the man looked awestruck. But Burgundy quickly resumed her posture, and proudly pointed to the giant stuffed Teddiursa. The man, jaw still agape, got up, removed it, and handed it to me.

Burgundy strutted away victoriously, leaving me to lug this thing around. Great.

See kids. Cheating is wrong.

…

Wes poked through the tables full of old collectables, but none of the stuff seemed to be a fitting. There was a bust of Giovanni, the previous Viridian City Gym Leader before his Gym burned down. Wes was pretty sure his mother wouldn't want a statue of the head of a mob boss…

There were the various ceramic vases and china sets, all of which his mother had plenty of. However, he finally came upon something…different.

It was a small necklace strung together by black pearls. At the end was a small black metal star shape with a red ruby in the middle. He picked it up and held it in his palm. It was cool to the touch, despite it being actually quite warm.

He turned around to the girl working the small shop. "Excuse me, what is this?"

"That?" She took the charm in her hand. The star shape was small enough to fit into her palm. "This is a very special antique. How did you pick it out?"

Wes shrugged. "I was just trying to find a gift for my mom. Her birthday is in a few days."

"Well, your mother has excellent tastes! This is called a Nightmare Charm-"

That didn't sound too reassuring. Seconds ago, Wes's only rule about shopping for a present to give his mother was to not get her something cheesy like another "#1 Mom!" mug or something dumb like that.

Now there were two: no cheesy gifts, and no voodoo-black magic.

"Um…I think I'll check something else out…"

The shopkeeper giggled. "No, wait, you're thinking the wrong way. This charm was kinda inappropriately named, but that's the name it was given nonetheless. It's supposed to keep away bad dreams and spirits, kind of like the Lunar Wing from Sinnoh. It's a good luck charm."

"Hmm…well, my mother does like rubies and pearls…well, how much?"

"For this? 5000 Poké."

Wes's lips went into an "O" shape. That was a pretty steep price for such a little trinket. Then again, his mother was worth it. She had raised him herself; aside from Oak, Blue, Daisy, and his aunt and uncle, she was the only family he had. And even though her family from Pallet, as well as the other scientist at the lab would treat her well on her special day, Wes was her only child.

"Eh…I'll take it." He took out his Trainer card to make the transaction. She handed him the charm.

"Pleasure to do business with you!" She flashed him a sly grin. "And next time you're buying something at a place like this, don't let the person selling the object know that you really want it." She winked, and then walked away.

Wes looked down at the charm, and then back up at the girl. She had just swindled him…well, not really, but he could've gotten a better price…

He put the charm in his pocket, and decided not to be mad at the girl. She had been really nice about it…

He heard a clapping sound, and saw the girl walking briskly away from Emile, who was rubbing his cheek.

"You say something?" Wes asked the Ranger as he neared him.

"Kinda…I saw this really pretty painting of a girl, and I was gonna compare her to it as a pickup line. But, while my back had been turned, someone had purchased it, and behind it was a…sculpture of a gorgon…I pointed, and well…"

…

I groaned under the now increased weight of my load. Burgundy had gone on a winning streak at the game center of the carnival, and guess who was her pack-Numel…

In addition to her giant stuffed Teddiursa, she had won one of those giant inflatable mallets from Whack-a-Diglett, an orange rubber crown from a shooting game (which Togepi now wore), and a stuff Torchic from a game where you would pick from a bunch of rubber Duckletts in a tub of water, and one would have a lucky number.

"Burgundy, can we get something to eat?" I begged. That tiny display over at the ball throwing game had caused a hunger pain that hadn't gone away in the near hour that had passed.

"Yeah, I could go for a bite," said the connaisseuse, stretching (although she had done zero work).

"Mind if an old friend joins you?"

I turned, and dropped all of Burgundy's stuff when I saw who was behind me. Wearing his usual garb of a maroon shirt and khaki shorts, minus the lab coat and substituted sandals for shoes was my old mentor, Professor Oak.

"Professor!" I exclaimed excitedly, and rushed over to shake his hand. We both laughed happily as we greeted each other. "How are you?"

"Oh, as good as a man my age can get!" he laughed again. "I needn't ask how you're doing though, my protégé!"

I was a little confused. "Protégé?"

The professor nodded. "You're been doing great work, and making everyone at the lab proud! My colleges from around the world are commenting on not only your battles, but your extraordinary feats as well! Capturing the elusive Moltres, saving the lives of dozens of Pokémon, befriending and battling alongside the mysterious Celebi!"

I shivered as I remembered all of the _other _things I'd been doing. The ones Oak didn't know about… "Ehehe…yeah…it's been a great honor."

Oak smiled again, but his face then dropped to a serious, almost foreboding expression. "But, my granddaughter told me you called. And that you were concerned about your Arcanine."

I nodded. "I saw him before, on Mt. Chimney. He looked perfectly healthy. If anything, he was better than ever!"

"Well, a few weeks ago, his loveable antics and playful attitude that came with all Arcanine just…stopped. He would just lie around all day and whimper. We thought at first he missed you, but you had told him specifically to stay at the lab, and Arcanine follow out an order given to them by their Trainer to the death.

"We then assumed it was a medical issue, but found nothing wrong. I then resolved to bring him here. I have a college and old friend who is an expert on fire types." Oka looked over his shoulder. He turned back and smiled. "In fact, here he comes now!"

Up beside Oak strode a tall, ancient man. He wore red golf shirt with a yellow stripe on it, as well as long green pants. He was bald, except for the white goatee he sported.

"Children, meet Argus Inferna. He used to be the Gym Leader in this town, and is an expert on Fire-Types. He is also the grandfather of your friend Flannery."

I reached my hand out to the mountain of a man who dwarfed me by a good foot and a half. He had a strong, firm handshake. "How do you do?" he boomed through his thick, bushy beard.

"G-good," I stammered, honestly a bit intimidated by the man. I swallowed me fear to give the man what he deserved. "Thank you, for whatever you did for my Arcanine. I am in your debt."

"No, no," he said, holding up a hand. "As a man of my age, I take any chance to help a Pokémon in need with gusto. The fact that this Pokémon was a Fire-Type as well helped boost my usefulness."

"What did you end up doing?"

"Well, I-"

"Professor, the Jellicent Juice stand was closed, so I had to-"A girl ran up next to Professor Oak, but stopped dead once she saw Burgundy and I. She had long blonde hair, which cascaded down onto her shoulders. She was a bit pale, with brilliant green eyes that sparkled with intelligence. She wore a pink tank top and a faded pair of jeans, and a white pair of sneakers.

"Oh. Hello. I didn't know the professor was meeting people."

"We aren't meeting," said the professor, taking the half watmel berry from her hands, and sipping the straw poking out the side. "By the way, I appreciate you finding me one of these smoothies."

"No prob."

"Anyway," Oak took another sip of his drink and motioned to the girl. "William, Burgundy, this is my apprentice, Jessica Willow. She was one of the Trainers to receive a Pokémon from me after you, Andrew, and Kayla. Though instead of becoming a Trainer, she chose to stay and learn under me, to become a professor."

"That's cool," said Burgundy. "So, Jess. Or, do you prefer Jessica-?"

She held up a hand. "No, it's cool. Whatever. You can call me Jess, Jessie, Jessica, J-Dubs."

"What do you research?" asked Burgundy.

"The powers of Pokémon."

"What do you mean?" This time it was I who asked the question, honestly a bit intrigued. Jessica apparently took pride in telling anyone and everyone about her work. Good for her to have that trait. I _hate _having to repeat myself.

"Like, how Pokémon are able to do what they do? A scientific explanation for moves and abilities. What triggers them? How are they maintained? What gave them these powers? For example-"

She took a Pokéball out of her pocket, and sent out its occupant, a Charmander.

"Char!" The lizard Pokémon smiled and looked up at its Trainer.

"It is a known fact that Charmander, and its evolved forms, can shoot fire. But how? It certainly isn't magic. It was assumed for the longest time that it was just the sole fact that they were dragons, and dragons had that power. It was then theorized that the fire was stored inside their stomachs.

"Well, I took it a step further. It is true, that first part. Not the dragons, but the stomach thing. Their stomach pouch is very similar to plastic, as it can't be burned. And its stomach acid is very flammable. So, with a few tests-"

She rolled up her sleeve, revealing small blotch on her elbow. "-and a few third degree burns, I found out the full truth. When using a move such as Flamethrower, Charmander shoots this liquid up its throat, and then ignites it with sparks from its teeth!"

She looked back up at us, as she had been gesturing with her hands mostly. "Sorry. This must be boring for you…"

"No, not at all!" I said honestly. "This is really cool, Jessica! What else have you found out?"

"Well-"

"-well, well," finished someone else. I turned to see a large, muscular boy with red hair and a leather jacket, holding the hand of a little girl with similar hair, who clutched in her other hand a Drifloon balloon.

I smiled. "Well, if it isn't Cage and Molly."

* * *

**Hey, guess whose here? Will Will be able to finally have his battle with Cage? Will Wes's mom like the present he got her? Find out next time(maybe not the present part).**

**Well, I usually talk next about something that's exciting me. But alas, there isn't really that much going on. US and EU are talking about an free trade alliance...that's fun. Excited for X and Y, as well as Destiny, which all come out in October.**

**Oh, I have been reading the Pokemon Adventures manga! I kinda like it; I'm not crazy for it, but it's cool nonetheless. I feel like it kinda skips around, and although it doesn't make or break the series for me, the fact that any Pokemon can evolve at any given time under any given circumstances, it...as a core fan of the games, it rubs me the wrong way, plain and simple. And it can get kinda gruesome at some points! By my count, three Pokemon are dead so far (SPOILERS!) Blue's Charmeleon cuts Koga's Arbok IN HALF! and Giovanni freezes a couple of Magmar and smashes them to pieces. But I'm enjoying it. It's like the spectrum with the anime: it gives us an alternate perspective on the universe. But, I'd totally recommend it. If you've been even considering it, then it's probably for you. If you've been on the fence or are trying t force yourself to do it, you may not like it.**

**And I've also watched a little of the latest anime episode. So, Ghetsis sounds like a geek with a cold, Colress is too full of himself, unlike in the games where he was all cryptic and stuff, and we were left to guess just how smart he was. They seem to have skipped the whole "Pokemon Liberation" thing of Team Plasma, which...I kinda would've liked to see Ash be a complete hypocrite trying to prove Team Plasma wrong. Sorry, seeing Gen 5 Ash fail is a guilty pleasure of mine. And a Plasma Grunt voiced by JENNIFER HALE! I'm sorry, but Looker, Ash, and the rest don't stand a chance. We're talking female Commander Shepard, Spartan Sarah Palmer, and Black Night. Best...grunt...EVER!**

**Anywho, Reader Question time! What is your favorite fictional weapon? There's a lot...but for me, it pretty much boils down to swords, and I'd have to say the Master Sword from LoZ, with lightsabers from Star Wars and Energy Blades from Halo close behind.**

**Will: Answer and review! Wait, this is my story! How come I haven't gotten to say it yet? That's messed up...**


	46. Chapter 46: A Promise is a Promise!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**The climax of any action previously added to any story on the entire website! Burgundy...playing...CARNIVAL GAAAAAAAAMES! In all seriousness, Will and the team decided to take some time off to enjoy the annual Lavaridge Town Fire Festival. Burgundy pursued her lifelong goal of winning at a carnival game (aided by Will), Wes went shopping for a present for his mom, and Emile got rejected. Later on, Will met up with an old friend, Professor Oak, and his colleague Argus, who is also Flannery's grandfather. he is also introduced to Jessica Willow, and aspiring Pokemon professor apprenticed to Professor Oak. The introductions were not over yet, however, as Will meets up with two more recent additions, Cage and Molly. Will they finally be able to have their battle? Find out now!**

* * *

I shook the hand of my old acquaintance. "How's it going, Cage?"

"Pretty good! Glad you could make it for the festival. It's really a lot of fun every year." He looked down at Molly. "Isn't that right?"

She smiled at me meekly, and then hid behind her brother's leg.

"Aw, come on," I pleaded. "Don't you remember me?"

Cage looked up at me a little forebodingly. "She, uh…doesn't do well with people being gone." He then gave me an _I'll tell you later _look and left it at that.

"Oh, where are my manners?" I backed up a bit so that Cage was in plain view of Oak, Argus, and Jessica. "Professor Oak, Mr. Inferna, Jess, this is my friend Cage. Cage, this is my mentor Professor Oak, his college Argus Inferna, and his apprentice Jessica Willow."

"It's nice to meet you all," said Cage, extending his hand to all of them..

"Please, call me Argus," clarified Mr. Inferna.

"How about just Gramps?"

Once again, we all turned at the sound of a new voice. Flannery was approaching us, but she looked different. Surely so. Her hair wasn't done up in that messy ponytail of hers. Instead, it had been straightened, and fell neatly down her shoulders. She wore a magenta skirt from her waist to her ankles, which revealed an older fashion of sandals, which wrapped all the way up her leg. She wore a top of a similar design, and her abdomen was exposed, more so than usual.

She must've realized that I was staring, and giggled. "Allow me to explain. During the festival we repeat an old tradition of a festive dance performed by local girls. I…uh…was volunteered."

"It's a rite of passage in this town for a girl to take part in the Dance of the Flame," exclaimed Argus proudly, patting his granddaughter on the back. The force of his muscular hand sent her stumbling forward a step.

"Do you wanna do that someday, Molly?" Cage asked his little sister. She simply buried her face into her brother's jeans. "Alright, I'll ask later."

He let out a slight gasp, and then looked back at me. Hey grinned. "Hey, if my memory serves me correctly, a certain dashing young Trainer owes me a battle…"

I smiled, remembering said promise. It would be awesome to finally get to battle cage! "You're on!"

"I ought to warn you, I've been doing this thing for a few years now. You sure you're up for it?"

"Anytime, anywhere. Just name 'em, old-timer."

Oak sighed. "Ah, the competition between two young Trainers. It's what drives us all, really. I remember my days as a Pokémon Trainer-"

"Yeah," Jessica leaned over to Burgundy and mumbled into her ear. "They must've had to trust each other. What with all the dinosaurs roaming around…"

Burgundy snickered, causing Oak to look over at her. "Now what was that, young ladies?"

Jessica straightened up, hands behind her back, and looked up at the sky. "What? Erm, nothing!" Even Charmender acted nonchalant, sitting down, wrapping its tail around its legs, and looking up as it whistled and twiddled its thumbs.

"So, time and place, huh?" Cage scratched his chin. "How about right now, over at the fields."

"Sounds good!"

"I could use a good battle!" said Flannery, "You know, to get me in the mood for that dance."

"Huh, a battle, eh?"

Listen, if people want to present themselves, why can't they just walk up in front of us and reveal their presence, instead of us having to turn around each and every time.

Well, if I had seen this person head on, I probably would've just left.

It was Andrew.

The redhead had a scowl on his face. Man, what is it with this town and redheads…

"Well, _Gym Leader_-" He said Gym Leader like it was an insult. "You've been on your little vacation for quite some time."

"My granddaughter has been doing important work," said Argus. His voice was deep and imposing, and he didn't even have to raise it. I could tell from Andrew's eyes that he was intimidated by the mountain of a man, but he didn't let it show in any other way.

"Yeah, well, as a participant in the Hoenn League, I challenge her to a Gym battle, which is a challenge she cannot turn down!"

"Actually, if you even read the League Trainer's Handbook, you'll find that in the beginning of the section dealing specifically with Gym battles, that a Gym leader can take a leave of absence from his or her Gym to attend to town emergencies or functions otherwise."

This was Cage. He looked a little angry when he said this, but like Argus, didn't lose his composer. He fished through his jacket pocket, pulled out a thin booklet, and tossed it to Andrew. "You can borrow mine if you want."

Defeated, Andrew scowled again. He dropped Cage's book in the mud, and turned around. "I'll come back when this stupid fair is over." As he left, I heard him call Flannery some distasteful names based on the costume she was currently wearing. I wanted to catch up to him in give him a black eye, but something held me back.

"Did he even notice the guy who made his journey possible was standing right there," said Jessica, rightfully ticked off.

"You can see the troubles he's presented to us on our journey so far," I said to Oak, "Kayla included."

Flannery walked over to Cage, and to my surprise, pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks for the save, hon. I'll catch you later. Gotta go get ready." She dashed off, and Cage turned to watch her go.

"Looking forward to it!"

"H-hun?" stammered Burgundy.

"What?" Cage had the _Nothing is wrong, why are you acting weird _look on his face. "She's my girlfriend."

I had a few questions, and Cage could tell. "Hey, Burgundy," said Cage, taking Molly's hand and leading her out in front of him. "I think Molly has to go to the bathroom. Mind taking her?"

"No problem!" Burgundy held out her hand. "C'mon, Molly!"

Molly squeaked and held onto Cage's leg. He knelt down and pried her off. "Come on, kiddo. Burgundy is our friend. You can trust her."

With a little more coaxing, Molly was sent on her way with Burgundy, although she looked back several times when she left. Cage stood back up, and when Molly and Burgundy were gone, his smile faded.

He around me so that he could see Oak and his companions. "Mind if I take Will for a second?"

"It's really no problem," said Oak.

Cage nodded, and then motioned for me to walk with him.

"What's this about?" I asked him as we started walking.

"You know…things. Things you should know. I trust you, and Flannery is a really good friend of yours. You deserve the truth."

"You say that like you were lying to me."

"Well, sometimes when I do something wrong, I make way big a deal out of it. I have to."

"Why?"

The older Trainer sucked in a deep breath through his nostrils, and then exhaled. "Six years ago, my mom had my little sister. I was about thirteen at the time. I had only been out on my journey for a few weeks.

"She died in childbirth."

"Cage, I-…I'm so sorry."

He grinned. "S'alright. You didn't know. Anyway, my dad and I were devastated. I put my journey on hold and came rushing home. My dad…wasn't that glad to see me.

"See, he's really invested in his career, and he doesn't let anything get in the way of it. Why my mom fell for and stayed with him is beyond me. But he was never home. He never cared about me. I was just an accident. So was Molly. She only really happened because of my father returning home after such a long leave of absence.

"Anyway, he blamed my sister and I for taking his wife away from him. He abandoned us, and sunk himself fully into his career.

"We were technically orphans. Molly and I were raised by the locals. The people of this town-" He raised his arms and gestured around us at the smiling, laughing, screaming people, all congregating together. Conversing and enjoying each other's presence. "These people are all my family.

"When I reached legal age, I became Molly's legal guardian. My journey never really took back off; I didn't leave Lavaridge once until that point, and I still didn't wanna leave Molly for even a second. No mother or father had left a gap for any sort of parental figure in her. That's why she's always so shy around new people. Besides me, none of the people in her life stayed. It's almost genetic, not liking people who leave her."

"That's…so sad…"

"But it's what happened. I got stronger from it. I lived and I learned. I didn't become bitter and hole myself up. I mean, I trust everyone in this town 100%. I could let Molly roam around this town unsupervised, because I know if any single person were to see her, they'd make sure she was okay. But…I just can't. And neither can she.

"And you're probably wondering about Flannery now, right? Well, we met one afternoon at a local playground. I was pushing Molly on the swings, and I saw her walk by…" He stopped and chuckled. "Molly almost fell, I was so distracted. Anyway, we talked, found out we had a lot in common. We both came from broken families, had some great responsibilities forced on us…and there we were."

I smiled and patted him on the back. "I'm glad the two of you are happy together."

He nodded. "Thanks."

By now, we had done a complete loop around on of the attractions, the Ferris wheel. We made our way back to Oak.

"So, Professor," said Cage. "Would you mind reffing our battle?"

"I would be delighted."

I was so stoked to finally get to test myself against Cage, but then remembered something. I laughed to myself and scratched the back of my head, drawing the attention of the other three.

"What's…uh…what's so funny?" asked Jessica, sweatdropping.

"I…kinda told all of my Pokémon that they could enjoy themselves today…and they're kinda all over town…" Scout and Grimlock's Pokéballs seemed to grow heavier as I remembered they were there. "I mean, I have these two…but…they aren't exactly…battle ready."

Cage shrugged. "We could do it tomorrow, maybe?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Yes!" Jessica pumped her fist in the air, and then awkwardly giggled as I looked over at her. "I've…uh…kinda been looking forward to seeing you battle."

"Great!"

Looking over her shoulder, I noticed Burgundy and Molly approaching. As soon as she saw her brother, Molly dashed over and latched herself onto his leg.

"Hey, kiddo!" He looked up at Burgundy. "Did she behave herself."

"Oh, most certainly! So, how about that battle?"

"Tomorrow," I told her. "You know, seeing as our team is all over the place."

"Yeah…all over the place…" Burgundy scratched the back of her head.

"What is it?"

"I…kinda saw Aipom on my way back from the bathroom…he was eying some ice cream, and when he dropped down to grab some…turned out to be a Vanillite from Unova…it didn't work out so well for Aipom…" She snapped her fingers. "Oh! Which reminds me! I wanna show you something!" She grabbed me by the arm and towed me back in the direction that she came in.

"Gwah, wait! What about dinner!?"

"Dinner can wait a little longer!"

I looked back at the others, who were smiling mischievously and waving goodbye.

"Agh, you guys are the worst!"

…

"Aaaaaand, here we are!" Burgundy had been flipping through a box of old TMs in a tent she had dragged me to. It sold old Trainer equipment, none of which I was in need of.

She held up a square, blue CD container. "What is that?"

"Well, with Shellshocker, you had to worry about Electric-Types, right?"

"Yeeeaah…" I said, not really sure where she was going.

"And with Skipper, since he has a Ground Sub-Type, you needn't worry about Electric-Type moves anymore, riiiiight?"

"Yeah…"

"So that leaves nothing to worry about, riiiiight?"

"Well, it does make him quad-weak to Grass-Types-"

"Bingo!" She slapped the disk into my hands. "And so this TM will help!"

"Burgundy, I-"

"Hey! Who's the connaisseuse here!?"

I sighed. "You are…"

"And who knows the exact perfect fit for everything relating to Pokémon?"

"You do…"

"So, dontcha think you should maybe listen to me…"

"Maybe…"

"Wiiiill!"

"Fine, fine, I'll use it."

I looked down at the TM. _Ice Beam_. This is actually a pretty good move. I've had it used against me several times…

"Now come on!" She grabbed me and held my arm hostage once again. "Let's go get something to eat!"

Yes! I wish all of my captors were this nice.

…

I licked my lips as I sat down with my dinner. A blooming onion. These things are the reason I go to fairs in the first place!

The small pavilion was basically a U shape of tables under large tents. In the center was a hardwood dance floor, on which people were currently dancing. Behind that was a stage, where the music was being played, and where I guessed such things as the dance would take place.

We sat and ate for a few minutes, before the song change, and Burgundy dropped her fork. Her mouth full, she simply clapped her hands until it was empty and then spoke. "Oh, oh, I love this song! Come on!"

She sprung up, but I remained firmly in my seat. "Come…where?"

"To dance, silly!"

"Wait, I don't know how to dance-whoa!" She grabbed me again, and pulled my out onto the dance floor. My face turned red as a few people's heads followed us, thinking us a young couple.

She took my hands in hers, and stood back a little.

"Wh-what do I do?"

"It's easy. Watch." She stepped to the left, and then to the right, swaying her body in tune with the song. It seemed simple enough. Slowly, I eased myself into it. Left, right. Left, right.

"Now spin me." I raised my arm and twirled her hand in it, and she spun around. We went back to the normal part. Left, right. Left right.

"So…now what?"

She blinked, confused. "No what what?"

"Now what do we do?"

"We just dance."

"That's it? Isn't it kinda awkward to stand here, just looking at each other and moving around."

"Well, people usually dance when they're in love, so that works for them."

I shivered.

"O-or for fun," Burgundy said quickly, her face turning red, regretting what had left her lips. "Or we could talk, if you want."

"Okay…" I searched desperately for a topic to make this less awkward. "H-how about…uh…how about the Cataclysms? You know, that thing I asked about earlier."

"Okay. Well, what is there to say about them? Unova was in the middle of a civil war. It was really bad, lasted for almost a decade. Then, one day…it just happened. A great fire erupted from nowhere and nearly destroyed Unova. It scorched the enter southern part of the region. All that remained was ruin. After that, crazy stormed ravaged the areas, forcing all the remaining inhabitants to the north."

"I thought the northern part of Unova was all mountainous and deadly."

She shrugged. "They had no choice. I guess it was either adapt or die. And it's good that they moved when they did.

"When the storms stopped, the clouds didn't go away. It started to snow. And it didn't stop. The southern part of Unova entered a pseudo-Ice Age for a couple hundred years. Then when the ice started to melt, some of the life came back to the land. And then you know the rest; Almian settlers, the Border War, the Unovan Revolutionary War, et cetera."

Well, if Burgundy's description was accurate, then The Cataclysms were very appropriately named. An event that almost destroyed Unova…why would that be important?

The music suddenly changed to slower song.

"Can we, uh, go now?" I asked Burgundy. She smirked.

"Why? We're already dancing." She walked closer, sticking her left hand out, still holding mine, and using her right to put mine on her hip, which she then secured with hers. We simply swayed back and forth.

"This is how we dance to this one," she said softly. "In case you were wondering."

"Well, the more ya know…"

She giggled. "I mean…is it okay if we dance to this one? It…reminds me of home…"

"Of course."

She put her head on my shoulder, and we danced.

Needless to say, I enjoyed the rest of that night.

* * *

**Awwwwwwww :D Will and Burgundy had a moment!**

**Anyway, I think once you're done with this chapter (if you're reading it today, or on this day in years to come) go and wish your mother a happy Mother's Day! One way or another, she deserves it. And if you are a mother, and you're reading this, happy Mother's Day from all of us at TrainerNaps (which is just me. And those voices that keep telling me to takeover the human race...)**

**Okay...ehehehe...Reader Question Time! What was your favorite Pokemon spinoff game/series. By spinoff, I mean anything that wasn't a "Version" game. For me, gonna have to go Mystery Dungeon. It's fun, the story is usually pretty top, pretty good dialogue for a Pokemon game, the gameplay itself is pretty good, and the series as a whole gets some nostalgia points with me, as Blue Rescue Team was one of teh games I got with my first DS system.**

**Burgundy: Comment and review! And I don't like Will! He's just...you know...my friend...friends can dance, you know!**


	47. Chapter 47: The Big Battle!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Several revelations occurred last time. Will discovered that Flannery was Cage's girlfriend, and Cage shares the sad story of how his motehr passed away during childbirth, and his father, blaming the death of his wife on Molly, left them to fend for themselves, Cage of course stepping up and taking care of her. Andrew then appears, and demands a Gym battle from Flannery, who declines due to her festival duties. Burgundy once again takes Will hostage, buys him a new TM for his coming battle with Cage (set for the next morning), and then eats dinner with him. Burgundy hears her favorite song, and drags our hero out onto the dance floor. Not knowing how to dance, Will awkwardly takes instructions from Burgundy, who explains the Unovan Cataclysms to him as they dance. Once she finishes talking about the strange doomsday of her region's past, the song changes to a slow one that reminds Burgundy of home, and the two share a moment. How Will the battle with Cage end up? Find out now!**

* * *

The automatic door to the Pokémon Center swooshed open as I reentered. I clipped the last of the three Pokéballs I had been holding to my belt. I had gotten up a little earlier today, around 6:00, to prepare the three Pokémon I would be using for the battle.

I was so excited to finally get to face Cage. But I knew he'd be a tough customer, so I made sure all of my team was ready. Well, the Pokémon portion of it, anyway.

The human portion of my team was waiting for me as I stepped into the lobby, fully dressed for a day at the fair, and ready to go. By "dressed for a day at the fair," I mean that everyone was wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt, for the most part. Even Burgundy had changed out of her usual casual outfit into a yellow T-shirt and shorts.

"You guys finally ready?"

"Whaddya mean 'finally'?" asked Burgundy, folding her arms. "You get up at 6:30 every day! On a journey, Will, you can do this neat thing called _sleeping in_…"

"Alright, alright, I get it." I looked over at Professor Oak. "What about you, old man. You finally awake?"

The professor laughed earnestly. "I may be old, but I'm always up and ready when I need to be! Do you still want me to referee this battle?"

"Of course, Professor."

"Then what are we waiting for? I've been waiting for another chance to see you in action, Will! I can't wait to see how you've improved, and what strategies you plan to implement."

"Hold on a sec," said Jess, who was rubbing white lotion into her skin. "Anyone need sunblock?"

"Oh, me!" Burgundy jumped at the opportunity to not get burned again. I guess she had learned her lesson after the S.S. Anne incident…

We exited the Pokémon Center and made out way to the east side of the massive fair complex, an area we had not visited on the night prior. As we walked through the network of booths, stands, and tents, we noticed not as much of a crowd, as it was still a bit early. There was a little trash on the ground, residue of last night's hectic grand opening. Most stands had yet to open, and the people already in attendance just milled around, waiting for attractions to open or friends to arrive.

We cleared another row of stands, and saw a line of about ten battlefields before us. They were typical public standards: just dirt, with chalk markings to indicate the Trainer box and divide the field. Bleachers were on each side of every field.

A few were occupied, only a small amount of which actually had battles on. The majority of occupied fields were of Trainer's doing a group training session with multiple Pokémon.

"Well, somebody's up early." Cage strolled up to us, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. Molly followed him closely, wearing her own pink button down coat. It was a little chilly out, but it would definitely warm up later.

"I could barely sleep, I was so excited."

Cage nodded. "Me too. I finally get a chance to test your skills."

We still had a few yards to go until we reached the field. We struck up some small talk.

"So, how's the journey going so far?" asked Cage.

"Oh, good, good…" Well, that wasn't completely honest. I was being monitored by a secret organization, I had to save the world from certain doom on multiple grounds, there are currently two ancient machine assassins hunting me. Not the ideal vacation.

I must've gotten too lost in thought, because Cage picked up the conversation again. "So, did you see Kayla's latest Contest win in Fallarbor Town?"

That's right! She had a contest there! It was a shame I missed it… "I was in town, but something came up, and I had to leave."

"Shame," said Cage. "Turns out she-"

"Hey!"

Recognizing the voice, Cage flipped around and caught his girlfriend by the waist as she leapt at him. They kissed, and he let her down.

"Hey, Molly!" She bent down and kissed Molly on the cheek. The little girl didn't look as comfortable as she did with Cage, but she put up with it nonetheless.

Flannery popped back up. "Hey guys! Mind if I stick around for your battle?"

"Sure," said Burgundy, moving over to Flannery. "We could use another girl in the stands."

"My granddad is gonna show up a little later, if that's cool."

"It's perfectly fine," I said to the Gym Leader. I faced forward again, and just in time to avoid smacking into the bleachers. We had arrived at the field.

Inching my way around, I walked onto the battlefield behind Oak, who was making his way to the referee area. Cage, followed by Molly, made his own way to his own end.

"Hey, you don't mind if Molly hangs with me during the battle, do you?" Cage called from the other end of the field.

"As long as she isn't helping you cheat!" I called back, a smile creeping onto my face. "You'll need it! Your skills are probably a little rusty!"

"We'll see!"

By this time, Oak had made his way to the ref's box, and turned to face us. "Okay, time to begin this battle between Walter Cage of Lavaridge Town and William Grey of Viridian City."

He stopped mid-sentence, and smiled to himself. "Two young Trainers, preparing to test their skills in pitched battle. I believe there is an old poem about this-"

"Skip it!" Jess yelled from the stands.

"Erm, yes, right. Anyway, the two challengers have agreed on this set of rules: this will be a 3-on-3 battle. The first person to knock out all of their opponents Pokémon will be declared the winner. Substitutions between the chosen three Pokémon are legal at any time in the battle. Are we in agreement?"

I nodded. "Sounds good. Cage?"

He nodded as well, and cracked his knuckles. "I'm ready if you are."

Oak smiled and clapped his hands together. "Wonderful!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bronze 1 Poké coin. "Now, we shall perform a coin toss to see who moves first."

The old professor made a fist, on top of which he placed the coin. With a flick of his thumb, it was sent up into the air. "Call it!"

"Heads!" I yelled, leaning forward a bit in anticipation. Oak caught the coin in his hand and looked at it.

"Heads it is!" He waved his arm at my end of the field. "William Grey shall have the first move!"

From my belt I grabbed my first Pokéball, which I tapped as I brought my arm back, growing it to full size. "Startin' it off! Scout, I choose you!"

"Vrrrrrr!" My Vibrava took the field, fluttering her wings to stretch them out some more. Her eyes darted around the field, checking out the unfamiliar setting and faces. She began to shiver a bit.

"Don't be afraid, girl!" Wes cried encouragingly from the stands. "You can do it!"

"Yeah!" Burgundy chimed in as well. "Believe in yourself."

"A Vibrava, huh? Well, I choose Swellow!"

"Swellow!" A large black and red bird took the field on Cage's end. It's red and white chest bloom strutted out and gave it a great presence. It fluttered a few feet above the ground, waiting to begin.

"Are both sides ready?"

A nodded, and so did Cage.

"Begin!"

"Scout, Sand Attack, go!"

"Vrrr!" Scout's wiry tail slapped the ground, throwing I clod of sand at Swellow.

"Swellow, Aerial Ace!" Swellow flapped its wings twice, backing up, and then zoomed forward. The tip of its beak glowed, and light flew behind it in streams like a kite. It burst through the cloud of sand like it wasn't even there.

This caused Scout to panic. She began to flutter her wings fearfully. Looking frantically over her shoulders. Down in the caves, she must've always looked for something to hide in or behind, like a crevice or a rock. Her instincts wouldn't serve her well up here, it seemed.

"Scout, relax!" I called to my Pokémon. "A clear head is the only thing that can win this battle! Dig, now!"

Scout leapt into the air, and dive bombed the ground, tearing through it like tissue paper. Perhaps her momentary disorientation had been a good thing, as Swellow had been surprised by the sudden disappearance of her target. She flapped her wings frantically trying to avoid crashing.

"Now, come up and use Crunch!"

Scout burst out of the ground from behind Swellow, and proved to us why that move got its name. With a crack rivaling that of the sound you get when biting into an apple, she latched onto Swellow's back.

Swellow screeched, and did just as Scout did; followed her instincts in a time of panic. Though as a bird, her instincts were a bit different: when I doubt, fly.

Swellow climbed higher into the skies, twisting and flapping her wings. But Scout wouldn't let go. I swear I could see fire burning in my Vibrava's eyes. Just goes to show that when someone who gets pushed around a lot gets a chance at revenge, they take it, and they don't let up.

"Hm," Wes scratched his chin, admiring what had become of my little surprise attack. "That was pretty smart of Will…"

"How so? He got lucky," said Burgundy. Wes shook his head.

"Be that as it may, he's found himself in a good spot. Swellow is a typical textbook example of a raptor; a bird of prey. She has a number of imposing features: her talons, her wings, her beak."

Jess caught on. "And they're all in the front…"

"Precisely," said Wes with a nod. "Which is why, so to speak, Swellow's wings are now clipped…"

This was great! My battle with Cage had a rocketing start, and I planned to keep this battle interesting. "Alright, Scout, break off and use DragonBreath!"

With the mightiest flap her little wings could manage, Scout put an admirable distance between herself and the still panicking Swellow. She opened her mouth and leaned back her head, a ball of blue fire forming there. Her head quickly bobbed forward, and launched the deadly projectile.

"Swellow, Wing Attack, now!" Cage quickly ordered his Pokémon, slashing the air with a vertical hand slice.

With alarming speed, Swellow regained her composure, and flipped around. And then she simply batted the DragonBreath back.

I broke into a cold sweat. "Scout, dodge, now!"

"Vrrrrr!" Scout bent her body at an angle only possible for an insectoid like herself. Her own attack, the one being used against her, sailed through the U shape her body had quickly formed.

"Now, Swellow, Hyper Beam!"

"Hyper Beam!?" Wes, Burgundy, Jess and I all yelled in surprise. But sure enough, that's exactly the move that Swellow began to form.

She opened her beam, and orange energy began to form in her mouth. Scout started panicking again, fluttering in an odd back and forth pattern.

"S-Scout, dive for the ground! Use Dig!" That was a little on-the-spot thinking on my part. I had no idea a bird Pokémon could have such a powerful range attack!

Scout's wing's folded onto her body, and she dove straight down. But this wouldn't be enough to avoid Swellow. Not by a long shot.

Swellow tracked Scout with her head as she dove, and once enough energy had been built up, she fired at an angle not at Scout, but to catch her.

A split second after Scout made contact with the ground, a bright flash erupted right on the spot. When the dust cloud faded, there was a large, but not deep, crater where Scout had landed.

"Woohoo!" cheered Flannery, clapping her hands. She received a glare from Burgundy and Jess. "Erm, I mean…have fun, boys!"

I bit my lip. Was Scout alright? Did she make it in time…

Every second was painstaking. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. And then a little cream-colored head poked out of the ground, followed by an insectoid body.

I pumped my fist in the air. She had a few new scratches and bruises on her, but she was still okay and able to battle. "Okay, Scout, Swellow needs time to recharge! Use DragonBreath!"

Scout immediately went to forming another ball of blue fire, and launched it at her target at the earliest convenience. But her little underground excursion, coupled with the time it took to form the attack had given Swellow time to recuperate.

"Swellow, Double Team!" ordered Cage. Swellow's image flickered, and two more Swellows appeared. From each of those, another was spawned, until there were eight in total.

Scout's attack flew through one, which simply flickered and vanished.

"Don't get discouraged! Use Sand Attack to eliminate the phonies!"

Scout slapped the ground with her tail, sending wave after wave of sand at the circle of Swellows. One was covered in sand, only to flicker out. The next clod went straight through two. And then one Swellow was covered in dirt. This one, however, shook the dirt off of its feathers.

"There's the real one!" I yelled pointing to it. "Fire!" Scout hunkered down, and shot another ball of blue fire at the real Swellow. It was knocked all the way to the ground, a few feet from Cage.

The Trainer gasped when he saw his Pokémon. "Swellow, are you alright, girl?"

"Looo…" The swallow Pokémon slowly got to its feet, and shook the remaining dirt off. Cage smiled and nodded.

"Good. Let's end this, shall we? Wing Attack!"

Swellow shot forward, using the momentum from a great flap of its wings, which spread out like an airplane.

"Scout, dodge!" I thought this would give me a moment to think strategy, but I was wrong. Scout fluttering into the air was all a part of Cage's plan.

"Ha!" laughed the older boy. "Nowhere to hide now! Hyper Beam!"

Swellow flipped around, her beak already glowing. Scout turned around herself, facing her enemy as she got farther and farther away. At the angle Swellow was shooting, there would be no way to escape. Only one option.

"DragonBreath!"

"Vrrrr!" With renewed resolve, Scout launched a ball of blue fire at Swellow, this one bigger and brighter than the previous few. My hopes were to catch Swellow before the charging of the Hyper Beam was complete.

Alas, it was too late. Swellow launched its beam of raw energy, and the two attacks collided. Although Scout put everything she had into that attack, the collision only lasted about three seconds before it DragonBreath was overwhelmed, and the Hyper Beam shot into Scout.

She fell to the ground with a thud, smoke rising from her crumpled form. Her leg twitched a bit, but that was all the movement we got out of her.

"Vibrava is unable to battle!" Oak called, waving his arm toward Cage's side of the field. "The victory goes to Swellow!"

I took out Scout's Pokéball, and recalled her to it. I held it up to my face and talked into it, as if Scout could still hear.

"You did awesome, Scout. That was the best I've ever seen you battle. We almost had em, too." I clipped it back to my belt. "Get some rest."

Cage too took out a Pokéball. He looked at it, and then looked back at me. "I'm gonna recall Swellow. You know, if that's cool with you. Fresh start, you know?"

Grinning, I gave him a thumbs up. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

He recalled Swellow to her Pokéball, and gave her a little pep talk of his own. He then took out another Pokéball, and sent out his next participant.

Out came a fearsome new adversary. It was grey and silver, with a thick body that looked like some sort of super powerful alloy. If there wasn't somewhat of a cloud cover right now, I'm betting it would be gleaming, adding to the ferocity.

It had two spikes poking out of its head, and another pointing over its forehead like a visor. It had a long, trunk-like tail.

I pulled out Dex, pressed the large green button on his side, and had my questions answered.

_Aggron_

_The Iron Armor Pokémon_

_It claims an entire mountain as its own. The more wounds it has, the more it has battled, so don't take it lightly._

"Did you add that last part in there yourself?" I asked my Pokédex.

_No, I did not. So don't take it lightly._

"Don't take it _lightly, _eh?" I took out my next Pokéball and eyed it. "Alright then, I won't! I choose you-"

* * *

**And before you ask: yes, Swellow can learn Hyper Beam. I checked.**

**What Pokemon is Will going to use next? Will he be able to overcome Cage's superior strength with strategy of his own? Find out next time!**

**So, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity comes out soon in Europe. Those of you who haven't been able to get it yet because of that, you should totally pick it up! I've yet to finish,a s I've been busy and am taking it at a leisurely pace, but I'll try to hurry it up!**

**And on the subject of Mystery Dungeon, the Reader Question for today is: What is your opinion on me doing a Mystery Dungeon story? I've kinda wanted to do one as a side-project, as my previous side-project, Mass Effect: Lies and Secrets, is on hiatus due to severe writer's block.**

**So, let me know all of your thoughts on my Mystery Dungeon proposal. Seriously anything you want to address or think I should know, slap it down in the review box below!**

**Molly:...* whispers in Cage's ear***

**Cage: Answer and review, please.**


	48. Chapter 48: Authentic Metal

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Cage began their battle, Will choosing Scout, his Vibrava, and Cage choosing his Swellow. At first, Scout's timid nature proved to be advantageous to Swellow, but she soon (figuratively) came out of her shell to meet the Swallow Pokemon in battle. Although she fought valiantly, Swellow's might proved too much for the poor Vibrava, and she was defeated. As will prepared to switch Pokemon, Cage did as well, sending out a fierce and powerful Aggron. Who is Will going to use next? Can he pull ahead? Find out now!**

* * *

"-Grunt!"

"Kua!" My faithful Makuhita took the field on my side. Unfazed by its opponent, it prepared to carry out any command I gave it.

"Well that was smart," said Burgundy, leaning forward in her seat. "Will is going for the Type advantage…"

"But how far will that get him?" Wes said in that absent, monotone way of speaking he displayed when intently watching a battle and contemplating strategy. "This Aggron looks way tough. No doubt he's trained it well. I mean, how many Swellows do you know that can use Hyper Beam." Wes shook his head. "This Aggron no-doubt has some sort of special training, and some unique moves to boot."

"Let's just hope Will finds a workaround," said Emile."

Seeing both sides had sent out their Pokémon, Oak gave the signal. "Let the battle commence!"

"Grunt, Bulk Up!" After seeing all the special surprises Cage left me with Swellow, I didn't wanna rush headfirst into physical contact with that Aggron. One way or another, it would boil down to a physical bout, but I wanted to see what this thing was made of.

"Aggron, Water Pulse!" cried Cage, pointing at Grunt.

"Graaaaaaan!" Aggron raised its head, and a blue ball began to form in between its horns. It whipped its head forward, and the ball of pure water shot forward.

"Grunt, Brick Break!" Grunt punched the water ball with his glowing fist, splashing water everywhere. Burgundy shrieked as she was doused.

I guess next time we should put up a sign that says, "Front row may get wet…"

Cage nodded. "Not bad, Will. But let's try this one on for size. Aggron, Double-Edge!"

Aggron glowed with a silvery aura as it charged for Grunt. Its metal claws tore into the earth, ripping up chunks of rock as it ran. This thing could give a locomotive a run for its money if it ran headfirst into it!

"Grunt, Body Slam!" There was no way Grunt was fast enough to dodge this attack. So I might as well see if I can counter it. There was a slim chance of that, but at least it might do a little additional damage to Aggron, as there would be a recoil.

My Makuhita flung his yellow body at the charging Iron Armor Pokémon, only to be met with instant an instant return. He was flung past his starting position, landing on his back. He slowly got up, in intense pain.

I looked up at Aggron to assess the damage it took, and gasped in shock.

The thing was in perfect condition! Not a single scratch or bruise! It wasn't even breathing heavy!

"Wha!" Burgundy leaned forward quickly. "I-It took no damage at all!"

Wes was truly baffled. Double-Edge was a physical move so powerful that at the speeds the user was going, it would damage itself when making contact. But how…

I was as baffled as he was. But I had a battle going on. No time to really think when the opponent is literally at my doorstep. Well, he's in front of me, not at my house, but-focus! Focus, Will, focus!

"Grunt, go in for another Brick Break!"

Grunt lunged forward, only to be slapped back by Aggron's powerful tail. Grunt stumbled back, clutching his head.

Aggron finally moved, lifting one massive foot, and then the other, out of the rock it had sunk into. Why were its feet so buried in rubble? I know it's heavy, but…

I realized how it hadn't taken any damage when it began to move back to its side. There were massive skid-marks on the ground behind it.

That was it! Cage had taught his Aggron to avoid recoil damage from Double Edge by a very simple method. Stopping! If Aggron stopped, it would still hit the opponent with all of the momentum and stored energy, but wouldn't kamikaze into them!

And stopping all of that force rooted it temporarily into the ground! It was too close for ranged attacks, making its tail the only viable defense…

So if I hadn't told Grunt to Body Slam…

"Grunt," I called to my wounded buddy. He looked up at me, weakly. "Take heart, pal. I have a plan. Bulk Up!"

Cage chuckled. "Thinking that'll stop another Double Edge?"

"Maybe I am," I said, egging him on. "Or then again, maybe not…"

Come on, Cage. Take the bait. Take the bait…

"Aggron, Double Edge!"

Yes! I held firm while Aggron charged forward. Grunt, trusting me completely, didn't flinch. He didn't look back for desperate instructions. He knew they would come.

Just as it was a few yards away, I struck. Metaphorically. "Grunt, jump to the side!"

Perfect timing. Just as I gave the order, I noticed what I hadn't before. Even though it was so slight, it was there. I saw Aggron stop, and skid forward the rest of the distance. But Grunt was no longer there.

"Grunt, go in for the kill!" Grunt dashed for Aggron, whose next move was sadly predictable. "Now grab his tail when he swings!"

Too late for Cage to take it back. Aggron had already swung, and Grunt did what he was told as well. He grabbed the trunk-like tail, and held firm. Aggron, still partially stuck, could do nothing but pull and glare. Grunt, however, could do more.

"Grunt, Vital Throw!" Grunt tightened his grip on the tail, and with a might roar, heaved Aggron into the air. Using its tail to keep Aggron aloft, Grunt slowly began to spin in a circle, spinning Aggron along with it.

The speed slowly began to increase, until it was a grey blue with a spot of yellow in the middle. Suddenly, the hurricane stopped. Grunt raised the tail behind his head, slamming Aggron down behind it, and then swung it in a woodcutting motion, slamming it down in front.

Cage gasped and took a step forward. "Aggron, you alright?"

"Graaah…" Aggron grunted, slowly pulling itself up.

Grunt knocked his fists together and flexed. "Kua!" And then he began to glow. He began to grow taller and thicker, reaching a height taller than me, taller than Aggron even! His legs became thick, as well as his hands, which grew three thick fingers.

A ponytail like appendage sprouted from behind his head. Skirt like flaps appeared around his wide waist.

When the light faded, it revealed the new supersized, yellow, orange, and blue, Grunt.

"Yama!" It exclaimed, raising one leg, and then slamming it down like a sumo wrestler. It did the same with the next.

"Alright, Grunt, what are ya now?" I took out Dex, and pressed the identify button.

_Hariyama_

_The Arm Thrust Pokémon_

_It loves to match power with big-bodied Pokémon. It can knock a truck flying with its arm thrusts._

"Likes to test power, eh?" I said, putting Dex back into my pocket. "Well, alrighty then! Hari-I mean, Grunt!" I quickly to Dex back out to peek at his move set. Only one move had changed.

I nodded and smiled when I saw it. "Nice…Grunt, use Body Slam!"

"Yama!" Grunt charged forward, the ground now rumbling a bit as he did. Aggron looked not as confident as before. Perhaps he knew he had a valid competitor now.

"Alright, Aggron, Double Edge!" commanded Cage, snapping his Pokémon out of it. "And this time, no stopping!"

"Grah!" Eager to prove itself the strongest of the two, Aggron charged forward, faster than before, and this time with no intention to stop.

With a mighty clash, the two met in the middle. The light from Aggron's Double Edge had faded, and the two now stood in the center, arms clasped, trying to push the other down.

They were at a pure stalemate.

I bit my lip. I anticipated a confrontation like this, but I thought Hariyama's physical prowess would win…then again, Grunt was still weakened from that first massive attack.

Cage took the opportunity to react before I could. He knew as well as I did that this stalemate could go on for a long time. "Aggron, Headbutt!"

Aggron leaned its head back, and with a sickening _CRACK _slammed it into Grunt's, who once again stumbled back, clutching his head.

"Snap out of it, buddy!" I cried desperately.

"This is it, Aggron! Iron Tail!"

Aggron's tail glowed brightly, and it swung at a stills stunned Grunt. I yelled louder than I can remember in my life.

"Grunt! Snap out of it! Seismic Toss, now or never!"

Grunt's eyes snapped open, pain being shoved aside to make room for obedience. His big, meaty right hand shot out, and grabbed Aggron by the tail. For a split second, Grunt stared into the eyes of the dumbfounded Aggron.

"Hari…" _This one's for Scout._

Skipping the spinning part, as he no longer needed momentum to lift Aggron, Grunt effortlessly slung Aggron over his head, slamming him into the ground to his back, and then slammed him onto the ground in front, creating a rather large Aggron-shaped hole in the ground.

Oak studied the crumpled shape for a second, before making his decision. "Aggron is unable to battle! The victory goes to Hariyama!"

"Good job, pal," I croaked, rubbing my sore throat. That's one down, two to go. That just proved that while Cage did have stronger Pokémon, he hadn't been in a decent Trainer battle in while. I just might be able to surprise him…

He took out Aggron's Pokéball and sent it back. "Gotta admit, Will, you sure are givin me a run for my money."

"What can I say? You're rusty, Cage. Haven't seen the new stuff," I said jokingly, spreading my arms in a 'Come and get me' motion.

Cage laughed, taking out his next Pokéball. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to show you old-school battling. Swellow, I need you again!"

"Swellow!" The bird Pokémon wobbled as it took for the skies, healthy, but a little shaken from its battle with Scout.

This didn't look good. Grunt was hurt, plus he wouldn't be faster than this thing anyway. And to top it all off, Cage now had the Type advantage…

I reached for Grunt's Pokéball, when he turned his head ever so slightly as so I could see his right eye. He shook his head, and then turned back.

"Alright then," I clipped the ball back to my belt, and turned to Oak. "No switching on this end!"

He nodded. "Very well. Let the battle resume!"

"Aerial Ace, go!"

Swellow dive-bombed Grunt, its beak leaving trails of light behind it. There was no way I was gonna manage a dodge.

Well, if you can't beat em, slam head first into 'em.

"Grunt, Body Slam!"

Grunt hurled his massive bulk at the oncoming missile of a Pokémon, but his weakened state made the attack sloppy, and Swellow had superior speed and agility to boot.

Swellow easily juked Grunt out, the poor Hariyama huffing after the attack, his hands on his knees. Not paying attention to Swellow, who flipped back around, and shot towards Grunt to finish the attack.

"Gwooooooh!" cried Grunt as Swellow's beak stabbed into his back at sonic speeds. He stumbled forward, and fell on his knees.

He made one last attempt to not let his Trainer down, but his body was taxed enough. Ultimately, he was forced to give in. With a mighty thud, Grunt fell flat on the ground.

"Hariyama is unable to battle!" cried Oak, waving his arm towards Cage's side of the field. "The victory goes to Swellow!"

Secretly, Cage breathed a sigh of relief in his mind. "I thought that thing was never gonna go down…" he thought, "I hope I never have to see him at 100%..."

I took out Grunt's Pokéball and called him back. "You did fantastic, buddy," I said to the ball, as if Grunt could still hear me. "You went above and beyond!"

I clipped it to my belt, and prepared the next, only to look up and see that Cage was once again recalling Swellow.

"How about we both go this time," suggested Cage as he put away Swellow's ball and took out his final one. "You know, both use our last full-power Pokémon, make it a surprise?"

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"If both Trainers are ready, the battle may commence!"

"GO!" both of us shouted, throwing our Pokéballs at the same time.

…

On a rooftop several dozen yards away, Shear and Venom watched the battle with some interest. Venom far more than Shear, but it had both of their attentions nonetheless.

"Kids' got some skill," said Venom, looking up at Shear. Venom was leaning her arms on a chimney as if it were some sort of stool, and Shear was simply standing beside it, arms crossed.

"It's a darn good thing you use swords and not Pokéballs."

"Huh?" She snapped out of her momentary trance. She had been thinking.

"I said that kid could give you a run for you money if he used a sword."

Shear grunted. "Trust me. That little prick is full of surprises."

"He has a sword?"

"That's not what I mean!"

"Well, why did you drag me here then? I thought you wanted me to spy on those two veggie-tops and the Ranger."

"I'll still need you to keep an eye on them-" Shear paused as she leapt off of the roof, and landed effortlessly on the ground. Venom followed, jumping more like an animal than an acrobat. She used her arms and her legs to give her the momentum to jump, and landed crouched on two legs and one arm, with the other hanging in the air.

She stood up from her animalistic pose. Shear continued. "-since we now know he needs the orbs."

"So do we go after Garneau now?" she asked, leaping onto a fence and sitting there like a Purrloin, her hands grabbing the front and her feet pressing against the back, keeping her up.

"Be patient, Venom."

Venom grinned, and front-flipped onto a lamp post, hanging down from it with her legs. "My my, look who's patronizing who. I've been the one following these twerps around for two plus weeks."

Shear sighed. Putting up with Venom was sometimes…taxing. It was a wonder she considered her a "friend."

"We need several things from Garneau. What she's currently researching, and to stop researching what she'll be researching later."

Venom moaned, and flipped down from the lamppost, she kept herself suspended from the ground with one arm. "Too much research…"

"You weren't very good in school, were you?"

"Straight D's!" she said proudly, standing up straight and walking alongside Shear. "But c'mon, I'm gettin' bored! I'm obliged to do whatevs you say cuz I'm on the payroll, but this is _bo-o-ring!_"

"Would you rather go and occupy the Regis so they don't squash The Alpha?" Shear asked, rhetorically hoping to end the childish debate.

Venom licked her lips. "Hm…ancient constructs aren't really my thing." She put her arm around Shear as the turned a street corner. They weren't that afraid of being caught: everyone was at the festival. And even if someone did happen to catch a glimpse of them, they'd just assume it was some form of cosplay for the occasion.

"_But_," continued Venom, "I do know someone who might. He come very recommended…"

Shear raised an eyebrow. "Hunter Cain?"

"Hunter Cain."

* * *

**Wahoo! 151 reviews! That's several milestones!**

**So, the battle between Will and Cage has heated up to a fever pitch! Both have chosen to send out their next Pokemon at the same time, mixing things up a bit. Who will each Trainer use next? And who is this aforementioned "Hunter Cain?" Find out next time!**

**So, guess what launches tomorrow? POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON GATES TO INFINITY IN EUROPE!**

**...a-and my new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon fanfic...i-if, you know, that's important...**

**In all seriousness, yes, tomorrow my new story, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny launches tomorrow! I'm so excited! I've got a great original story for you guys, a fantastic cast of characters, and an all around good time. I've been working really hard to really get the nails into this story, as Mystery Dungeon stories so far have been pretty top, and I want this one to be no exception. I was pretty much planning on launching on a Friday all week, and the Europe release of the newest game was a cool little coincidence. **

**Or not...but I'd love it if ya would!**

**In other news, I really want the readers to get involved this time. So, starting tomorrow, I will be accepting OCs to be in the story. I just want this world that I am creating (IamnotclaimingtoownPokemon) to be full of fully flushed-out people, and I love that about Mystery Dungeon stories. There's always room for someone new, and it's easily one of the best types of stories to accept OCs for.**

**So, there'll be more on that tomorrow, when the story launches. There'll be a form as well that I'd appreciate you to follow, which'll make things so much easier for me. So like I said, more on that tomorrow. **

**In other news, some more info has been released about the next games and the Kalos region, including a few new Pokemon, player customization (schweet!) DIAGONAL MOVEMENT (game changer, right there) and...uh...the Eiffel Tower in Pokemon...I guess. **

**Sorry if this was wordy, but a lot to cover.**

**Reader Question, to keep things short: Who is your favorite character in the story so far?**

**Venom: Answer and review; maybe Sammy'll addja to the payroll! **


	49. Chapter 49: It's Getting Old!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Cage's battle continued, Will choosing Grunt and Cage choosing one of his strongest Pokemon, Aggron. At first, the powerhouse proved too much of a challenge for a simple Makuhita, but that problem was soon amended when Grunt evolved into Hariyama. The battle was rough, but Grunt eventually managed to turn the tides and defeat Aggron, only to be re-introduced to Cage's Swellow, who made quick work of Grunt. The two prepared to send out their third and last Pokemon each, while Shear and Venom talked strategy, Venom bringing up some sort of plan to attack Amanda at her research sight, as well as a mercenary named Hunter Cain. What is Shear's next move? And who will win the battle? Stay tuned!**

* * *

"-Skipper!"

"-Camerupt!"

Both of our Pokémon came out at the same time, the first thing they saw as they exited their Pokéball being the opponent they would face.

For Skipper, it was a large, slow yet powerful ox Pokémon, the likes of which we had seen multiple times before.

For Camerupt, the amphibious humanoid before it was a complete enigma.

Cage laughed earnestly and scratched his head. "Well, I'll be honest with ya, Will; I've never faced one of these guys before!"

Camerupt snorted in agreement, pawing at the dirt with a hoof. He didn't know how to fight a Marshtomp, but he sure as heck was going to.

"Yes!" said Burgundy, pumping her fist in the air. "Will has the advantage again!"

Still in battle-analytics mode, Wes simply nodded somberly. "He had the advantage last time, too. And I'm not doubting Grunt's abilities, but he only barely scraped by with Aggron because of Grunt's sudden evolution. He may not get that lucky again."

"Hm, good point," said Emile, scratching his chin, "And that new TM Burgundy get him may not be of any particular assistance this time around."

Wes waved a finger at Emile, not looking away from the battlefield. "That, my friend, remains to be seen. After this battle, I think we can all agree that Will always has something up his sleeve."

The three turned when they heard a giggle. It was Flannery. "That may be t-true," she forced out through her uncontrollable fit of laughter that was barely being held back, "B-but, ehehehehe!, sometimes he d-doesn't even know it's there! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Wes and Burgundy looked at each other, let out a nervous chuckle, and then turned back.

"What you care to have the first move, my good man?" said Cage in a regal accent, rolling his hand and bowing.

I mimicked this motion. "Thank you, old bean. Skipper, good chap-er," I shook my head. Sometimes I get lost when doing accents…you should hear my Christopher Walken! Anyway- "Skipper, Water Gun!"

"Mawsh!" cried my amphibious partner, leaning his head back and launching a gusher of pressurized water at Camerupt.

The blast struck the ox right in the forehead, forcing it to lean its head back a little. But when the blast petered out, it simply shook the water off of its fur and snorted once more.

"Gwah!" Burgundy leaned forward in her seat. "T-that's…how!?"

"Camerupt is one of Cage's first Pokémon," said Flannery, leaning over her shoulder to explain. "They've been together since pretty much the beginning. Even though he can't practice battling with new Trainers and new strategies, he trains his Pokémon's abilities and strengths when he gets a free minute. His Camerupt has the highest defenses of any Pokémon I've ever seen."

"So Will's gonna have his work cut out for him?" asked the connaisseuse.

Flannery nodded, and the two young women sat back. "Bingo."

"You alright, buddy?" Cage called to his bull.

"Ka mu!" It snorted again, this time steal shooting out of its nose and whistling like a tea kettle.

"Alright then, Take Down! Charge!"

Camerupt reared up on its hind legs like a bucking bronco, and then slammed its hooves back on the ground, shaking even our end of the battlefield. Skipper and I struggled to maintain our balance.

When I steadied myself and looked back at Camerupt, it had already covered half of the battlefield.

"Skipper, dodge!"

The Marshtomp jumped to the right just in time. Before I could even breathe a sigh of relief, I saw that the Camerupt was turning on its front hooves, not even stopping, and angling itself for another strike at Skipper.

This thing wasn't at all like Aggron. That beast was a whole different nut that I had to crack a whole different way. I was stupid for thinking I could use the same strategy!

Aggron had been betrayed by its weight distribution, more in its central bulk, which made it have to stop after a charge and essentially reload itself. Like a train.

Camerupt was more like a car. It was more aerodynamic(well, as Aerodynamic as a bull can be) as its weight was distributed more throughout its body.

"Skipper, get ready to dodge again!" I called to him. He nodded and bent his knees ready to jump.

Camerupt came charging, steam pouring from its nostrils. Right in the nick of time, Skipper leapt out of the way.

"OLÈ!" cried Emile, Burgundy, and Flannery from the stands. Skipper took a quick few seconds to blow them a kiss, and then wave his imaginary cape.

Another charge, another dodge…and another "OLÈ!" from my "fans."

And another. Camerupt wasn't letting up. It wasn't showing any signs of wear or tear.

Skipper, however, was starting to breath heavily, slouching over. It wasn't struggling to stand, but I guessed that stage couldn't be too far off.

"Camerupt, keep it going!" cried Cage, knowing exactly what I knew.

But he didn't know my new plan. "Skipper, get ready!"

He nodded, taking his ready position. Camerupt came charging once again. The distance began to close. Twenty feet. Fifteen feet. Ten. Five…

I reacted like I had been struck by a bolt of lightning. "Now, jump onto it!"

No arguments. No surprised reactions. Leaping onto Camerupt's face and using it like a springboard, Skipper made his way onto Camerupt's back.

"'At-a-boy, Will!" cried Emile, clapping and whistling.

"Go-o-o-o-o Will!" Burgundy cheered as well. "And you'd better use that TM! I paid 700 Poke for that!"

I laughed and moaned at the same time. "I paid at least triple that for your carnival games!"

Battle! That's right, the battle!

Molly looked a little startled. She clung to Cage's leg a little tighter. He simply patted her on the head. "Don't worry," he said softly to his little sister. "Camerupt can handle it."

Camerupt hadn't stopped running. It romped around the field, making an effort to try and jostle Skipper off while Cage thought of a better plan.

He snapped his fingers. "Okay, Camerupt, Smokescreen!"

The Eruption Pokémon came to a sudden halt. This action alone almost sent Skipper flying off. It didn't, but perhaps it put the icing on the cake.

Skipper managed to steady himself…on one of Camerupt's smokestacks. He gave a thumbs up to me, a split second before being blasted in the face by a plume of smoke.

He fell to the ground on his back, coughing and wheezing.

"Alright, Camerupt, Take Down!"

Skipper was an easy target now. He had barely managed to stand when Camerupt was already baring down on him.

"Maw?" he choked, trying to open his eyes as he was rammed by the freight train of a Pokémon and sent back a good thirty feet.

"You can do it, Skipper!" Burgundy cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled. "Don't be a little girl like Will!"

Another thumbs up from Skipper. Who's side were these guys on!?

"Hey, Skipper," I called. He slowly turned his head. "You feelin' good on that new technique?"

He nodded intently. Not only was he ready, but he _really _wanted to do it now.

"Good!"

Just as I agreed with my Pokémon, Cage gave out his next order. "Camerupt, Take Down!"

There was no way I'd be able to pull off those maneuvers from before. Skipper was simply too tuckered out.

But what if I didn't have to do those moves? What if I didn't even have to move an inch…?

"Skipper, Ice Beam! Rapid fire!" Skipper shot (more like spat) four quick icy blasts. One by one, the secured Camerupt's hooves to the ground.

Well, three of them. The fourth one missed. Camerupt broke free of its icy shackles and just kept on charging.

I clenched my fist. "Skipper, you're really gonna have to focus! This is our last shot! Go!"

Glaring at the oncoming Pokémon, Skipper knew what he had to do. With a monumental gulp of air, Skipper spat four more Ice Beams at Camerupt's hooves.

This time, all four found their marks.

"Muuuuu!" cried Camerupt, frozen in place. It struggled against its bonds, to no avail. It was stuck.

A compulsory glance over at my opponent showed me the quizzical expression on his face. For the first time in this battle, I was keeping _him _guessing. "Relax, Camerupt," he said thoughtfully, not looking up, "Just use Flamethrower to keep it away!"

Darn it! He knew that I wanted to get close, as a ranged Water Gun did no good. "Alright, Skipper, nice shot," I said, trying to boost his morale before we rushed back into battle, "Now, rush at Camerupt! When it launches a Flamethrower, stop!"

He charged forward at the temporarily-crippled Camerupt. He got about ten feet closer when the first Flamethrower was launched. HE stopped dead in his tracks, as per my instructions.

My Pokémon all had complete faith in me as their Trainer (well, maybe not Moltres and Grimlock. And Peruggia…and Buzz…okay, later!) but I could see him shaking. The fear on his face.

I wasn't going to let him down.

"Water Gun, now!"

Fire and water collided in a bright flash, both streams fighting for supremacy. I let the struggle go on for a few moments, and then…

"Stop!" Not hesitating, Skipper let the Water Gun die out. The Flamethrower shot through the water still in the air…and exploded into a cloud of steam.

"No!" cried Cage, his view of the entire battlefield, his Pokémon included, was marred. He had fallen right into my trap.

The steam cloud didn't last very long. It hung in the air for a good ten seconds, before a breeze began carrying the light fog away.

Cage cringed. He knew he wouldn't like what he saw once the mist was gone.

He didn't. I did. Skipper was standing triumphantly on top of Camerupt. With a motion like it was slam-dunking a basketball, it jumped up and shoved a Water Gun down Camerupt's smokestack.

He jumped off, stumbling a bit when he hit the ground, but getting up nonetheless.

Camerupt wouldn't have any of it. The hot, sticky steam had weakened the ice. A now furious Camerupt shattered its bonds, and stomped on the ground with its front right hoof.

I heard a few claps and comments, and turned to the stands. A few people had congregated to watch the battle in the bleachers, as well as standing around them. I noticed Argus, taking a seat next to Flannery.

Even Flash was in attendance, sitting down at the corner of the bleacher, tongue hanging out, tail wagging, watching his master battle.

"What do you say, Cage? Should we give the people a show?"

He nodded. "You know it!" The veteran Trainer pointed at Skipper. "Alright, Camerupt, let's finish this up! Take Down!"

"MUUUUUUUU!" Invigorated by rage, Camerupt barreled towards Skipper, giving us little time to react. But I had an idea pre-loaded. It was do-or-die time.

"Ice Beam! On the ground!"

Instead of spitting, it was properly shot this time, in a concentrated beam.

"Ha! Not fallin' for that!" said Cage, thinking he knew what I was doing. "Camerupt, jump!"

The bull leapt over what it thought would be icy bonds…and landed on the sheet of ice prepared for it. It slipped and slid for a second, all four of its legs trying to regain balance.

A shocked reaction came from the crowd. Their hometown hero was actually facing a competitor that was giving as good as he was getting.

But Cage wouldn't go down easy. Camerupt managed to cover the remaining distance, albeit sliding on its side.

"Skipper, look o-"

It was too late. Camerupt's body slammed into Skipper, where the ice field ended. A massive cloud of dust and gravel shot up into the air, blocking my own view.

I lowered my arms from covering me face, hoping my Pokémon got out okay.

Camerupt was on top of Skipper. He tried to prop himself up on one arm, tried to pull himself out. But, alas, he succumbed to his wounds.

"Marshtomp is unable to battle!" cried Oak. "The victory goes to Camerupt, and the battle to Walter!"

…

I walked off of the battlefield and towards the stands, their occupants standing to get up and leave. A few congratulated me and commented positively on my battle strategies, but their main focus was Cage. The guy had a regular fanbase.

So did I, albeit small, but hey, they were still there. Wes, Burgundy, Emile, Flannery, Argus, and Jess greeted me on my way over. Oh, and don't forget Flash.

I certainly did, which made getting tackle a little more shocking. "Okay boy, okay, that's enough, boy, okay, ahaha!" The licking didn't end.

Burgundy but her hands on her hips and "tch tch tch"d. "I've said it once, and I'll say it again; 'A boy and his dog'."

"You did great, boy," said Argus, offering me his hand. I graciously shook it. "It figures only a Trainer of your caliber could raise such a fine Arcanine."

"Thank you, sir," I said as humbly as possible. I wasn't that great…

"That was _wicked_!" said Jess, slapping me a high five. "That part where you were, like, juking out that Camerupt! Awesome!"

I scratched the back of my head. "You guys are giving me too much credit. It was really my Pokémon that did all the-"

I felt a pat on my back, and turned to face Cage. He offered me has hand as well, and we bro-shook.

"Will, that was the best battle I've had in a while." He turned down to the passenger on his leg. "Isn't that right, Molly?"

She nodded shyly, the ghost of a smile appearing on her face. Well, I'm glad she enjoyed it too.

"Argus," I said to the tall man as a thought popped back into my mind. "Yesterday, you were telling me about Flash's problem. What exactly was wrong?"

"Oh, yes. Well, you see-"

A rumble shook the grounds. People screamed and shrieked as we struggled to keep our balance. Jess fell over, Emile helped Burgundy before she fell. I steadied myself on the bleachers. Cage hurriedly picked up Molly and began to tell her that everything would be okay.

"The volcano is erupting!" shouted someone.

"Everyone run!" panicked another.

One woman fished a pair of binoculars out of her purse and held them up to her eyes. Her mouth slowly widened as she began to shake.

I ran over to her. "Excuse me, ma'am, could I borrow those?"

Jaw still agape, she nodded and handed them to be, not looking away from the spot.

I held them up to my own eyes, adjusting them so I could see. I almost dropped them.

Standing atop the volcano was a tall, rocky creature, raising its arms to the sky.

Regirock was back.

* * *

**Regirock is BACK!? AGAIN!? Is there any way to kill this thing? And with Will and Cage's Pokemon weakened from their battle, who will opposed the mighty machine now? Find out next time!**

**For those of you who haven't checked out my new MD story, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny, I strongly urge you to. I'm still accepting OCs, so check er out!**

**Reader Question: What was your favorite Pokemon movie? I really liked Arceus and The Jewel of Life, I honestly thought it was pretty good. They could've tied in the Dialga and Palkia and Giratina movies better, as that was their intention, but hey, at least that movie gave some inclination that it didn't take place in an alternate universe or something!**

**Jess: Review! Like seriously though, you made it this far. **


	50. Chapter 50: Back to Back to Back

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Cage wrapped up their battle, with Cage's Camerupt defeating Skipper, Will's Marshtomp, and declaring Cage the winner. But their celebrations were cut short as Regirock reappeared once more, not yet defeated. If a swarm of Trapinch, a falling temple, and a volcano couldn't stop this beast, then what can!? Find out now!**

* * *

"Seriously!?" I cried, angrily, this time not just surprised, but annoyed at the golem's constant grabbing for my attention. "Can you not just _stay dead!?_"

Jess gulped. "Y-you know that thing?"

"Fought with it," said Burgundy.

"H-how many times?"

I counted on my fingers. "This makes three."

A sudden bark from Flash made me jump. He was leaning forward on his forelegs, barking and snarling in a way I had never seen, nor imagined, him doing.

His sharp teeth bared. His hair on his arched back stood on end, and saliva dripped from his maw as he barked furiously at the Regirock.

"This is loco!" cried Emile. "What are we gonna do? A volcano didn't stop it! What will?"

"A Ranger!" cried someone as the saw Emile step off of the bleachers. "He'll save us!"

We all turned to Emile as he grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

Jess crossed her arms, and a snide grin crept onto her face. "Well, how about it, O Mighty Ranger of Pokémon," she teased, Emile's face growing as red as a tomato berry. "Go save the day!"

I decided to step in and save my friend before he had to try to save his manhood once again (and ultimately drive himself deeper.)

Inhaling, and exhaling slowly, I broke through the crown until I was the furthest up front. Looking up, I could faintly see the figure of my enemy.

The enemy that, thus far, I had been unable to best.

That was about to change.

I felt a gentle hand grab my shoulder. "You're not gonna do this, are you Will?" asked Burgundy softly. I could hear the fear in her voice.

Taking her hand, I turned and looked her in the eyes. Like I had assumed, she was afraid.

"You could have _a_ _little _faith," I said jokingly, earning an angry glare from the connaisseuse. Well, at least I was getting somewhere.

"This isn't some kind of joke, okay!" she snapped, pulling away her hand and stomping her foot on the ground. "This think almost killed you twice already! You dropped a temple on its head, and then pushed it into a volcano! What haven't you tried that might work now?"

Well, she had a point. I suppose the only valid option left was dropping a meteor on its head. And yes, at this point, that option would be considered valid.

Flash made his way over to me, barking excitedly. Like Burgundy, he showed and told. Reading his emotions, I could feel his excitement. But not the good kind. The kind where he knew he _had _to do this, or else.

He was right. It was do or die time. Time to show this thing who it's messing with.

Like getting into the saddle of a Ponyta, I stretched my leg over one side of Flash, mounting up like an equestrian. I grabbed tightly onto his mane: there would be no seatbelt on this ride.

"Alright, guys," I said, turning to my friends. "I'm gonna finish this, once and for all. Mind you, I don't have a-"

My neck was almost snapped as Flash barked and took off without warning. Luckily I had been holding on as tight as I was, else I would've fallen off.

Or, if he had gone a little faster, my arms would've been yanked out of their sockets.

The rest stood as Flash raced off into the distance to climb the mountain and meet Regirock once more in pitched combat.

Cage clenched his fists. Molly looked up at her brother, who now sported a determined look on his face.

"Most of Will's Pokémon are hurt," he said, gently reaching down and pulling Molly up. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then handed her off to a townsperson he must've know. Molly kicked and screamed, protesting being separated from her brother.

Cage closed his eyes, regret and sadness washing over his face briefly before determination returned. "But the rest of mine aren't. I'm gonna go help."

The senior Trainer took off, not going a fraction of Flash's speed, but making good time.

Jess turned to Wes. "So…what did he say he didn't have?"

"A plan," snarled Burgundy. "As usual, he has no plan."

The girl fumed as she watched the red blur that was Flash dash up the mountain. _If he makes it back, I'm going to kill him, _she thought, before adding this last part, _if I don't kiss him fist…_

…

I struggled to keep my mouth shut as the wind cascaded against my face, as Flash raced up the mountain at Mach freaking five. Everything was a green blur, until it turned into a brown blur, signaling our transition from forest to mountain.

This ride had almost killed me by multiple ways, but Flash seemed to be enjoying it. His tongue stuck out, saliva trailing behind it as it flapped in the breeze.

Not to self: walk Flash more.

As we made our way up the mountain, the ride became less dashing, and more bounding from one location to another, easing up on the delicate human rider.

A Numel grazing on a low hanging branch nearly fell off of a sheer cliff when Flash jumped right over it.

"Num num," it groaned, returning to its meal. _I hate this neighborhood…_

Judgment time. At last we had reached the summit of Mt. Chimney. The second Flash made that final bound; he flipped around on his paws, returning to the stance he had donned at the bottom of the mountain, snarling and ready to fight.

I had just hopped off of his back when Regirock, lumbering slowly in a semicircle, turned to face me. It raced its arms and roared.

"REEEEEEGIIIIIIIROOOOOOOOAK!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" I yelled, trying to shut the stupid thing up. "Listen, I'm going to have to kill you now, so you don't, you know, murder these innocent people. No offense."

Wordlessly and emotionlessly, the rock creature began its slow trek forward, one colossal foot in front of the other.

With a sudden furious bark, Flash charged forward with an Extreemespeed attack, barely visible to my eyes. It leapt up onto Regirock, and pushed itself off, doing a flip before landing back on its paws, ready to do it again.

Regirock stumbled back a holy one step, before simply continuing.

That was odd…Flash was way too loyal to do anything without my direct orders…what was up with him?

Focus! I don't have that meteor, so no awesome stuff from me…what Pokémon could I use.

I cursed myself. Idiot! My three most effective Pokémon against Rock-Types are all down and out. Torch would be of zero usage, and I couldn't see CJ doing much good either.

But then I remembered my sixth Pokémon. My wild card. The big red button. Grimlock.

I gulped as I drew his Pokéball from my belt, and tapped it, extending it to full size. "Well, this can go one of two ways," I said to myself, "Either he fights Regirock, or turns right around and rips me limb from limb…" I sighed. There was no other option.

"A-are you sure you want me to do this?" I called out to Regirock, considering literally all of my remaining options. "I mean, you could just jump back into the volcano and stay-"

"ROOOOOOOOOOAK!" Well, maybe it did hear me after all, and wanted me to just shut up…

"Alright then," I said, my voice cracking a bit. "You asked for it…Grimlock, go!"

With a loud _CLANK! _My Armored Bird Pokémon landed on the volcanic ground. His wings were folded up against his body, giving the illusion that he had none.

Sniffing the air, he turned to see me. I smiled awkwardly and half-waved. "H-hey, Grimlock!"

His wings fanned out like a handful of knives as he screeched at me, turning and beginning to take loud metal step after loud metal step towards me.

Just as it was raising his head, presumably to launch a Flash Cannon, a large boulder struck him on the back, shattering into dust and smaller rocks, and not doing that much damage.

Turning to face his new foe, Grimlock quickly hissed at me, as if to say, "I'll deal with you later," and took off immediately. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Grimlock slammed into Regirock with a Take Down, and then zipped right behind it as it slowly swung its arm. From behind, Grimlock battered Regirock's back with Steel Wings, and flew to the side again when Regirock turned. Grimlock was _not _letting up!

On the sidelines, Flash barked and snarled, launching the occasional Fire Blast when Grimlock wasn't in the way. I just…encouraged them, I guess.

You can't blame me! I didn't have any awesome energy powers this time around! Heck, last time I didn't even know I had them!

All of that was put aside when Regirock's arm finally met Grimlock's body. The attacks had been slow, but that was because they had contained a lot of power. With one hit, Grimlock flopped onto the ground, holding on by a thread.

Without thinking, I ran for the crumpled figure of my Skarmory. Disobedient or not, he was my Pokémon; he was a member of my family. And no one messes with my family.

Regirock was raising its long, boulder-chain arm with the intent to flatted Grimlock. I reached it just as it was bringing the hammer down.

"NO!" I cried, unconsciously raising my arms in a hopeless effort to protect my Pokémon. I closed my eyes and prepared to be flattened.

And the energy shield returned.

Albeit much weaker than last time, flickering on and off. But it was just enough to stop the force of Regirock's attack.

A splitting headache immediately set in as my heart pounded faster than ever before, a mixture of fear, surprise, and exhilaration.

If not for Flash, my reaction to the burst of energy would have gotten me killed. Utilizing another Extreemespeed, Flash leapt up and grabbed onto Regirock's arm with his teeth, the force making Regirock spin around.

Flash let go, landing with his back to Regirock, who was now raising his fist for another attack. And this time, Flash's speed wouldn't get him out. And neither would my energy shield.

I felt a bone-chilling shiver down my spine, and I instinctively folded my arms for warmth. At first, I thought it was some sort of super-sweat, induced by the energy shield's usage.

But then a thick, arctic wind blew onto Regirock, who was just brining his fist down. The motion slowed to a mere crawl of what it had been previously, until it had stopped completely. When the wind faded, a white Regirock-like statue stood there, arm half raised.

Huffing and puffing, Cage finally reached the top of the mountain. He got up slowly, smiling as he looked at me. "See Will, toldja Kayla's last Contest was a thing to behold."

My smile half faded as I realized he wasn't looking at me. I flipped around, and laughed with delight at what a saw.

On the back of the Legendary Bird Articuno, sat Kayla.

…

Riding back down the mountain took a good three minutes, a little slower than last time due to Cage riding on Flash's back with me. I had been prepared for this one, even enjoying it a little, laughing and smiling as if I was on a roller coaster.

Cage, on the other hand, had pretty much my reaction from the first time.

Kayla and Articuno were air-lifting Grimlock to the Pokémon Center. He was in dire need of care.

Flash slowed to a trot as we reached the spot where we had been not a half hour ago, discussing how I didn't even have a plan. Now, I had return victorious.

I was half off of Flash when he bolted, vanishing into the crowd. I fell on my rear, and stood up to face the angry glare of Burgundy.

Just as I was opening my mouth to offer up an explanation for my actions, she punched me in the gut, sending me back down to the ground, this time on my knees.

"How dense can one boy be!?" she demanded angrily as I writhed in pain. "If it weren't for Kayla, you'd be dead!"

That being said, she grabbed the color of my shirt and yanked me back up to my feet. I winced as I prepared for Round 2.

And guys, don't call me a wuss. Because _nothing_, not thugs, not spirit monsters, not ancient golems made to kill you, _nothing, nothing, NOTHING_, compared to an angry female.

She wrapped me in a hug. And I'm not even gonna bother with the comparisons this time. _Nothing, nothing, NOTHING_, is more confusing than a female.

I hugged her back, seeing as she deserved it. I had put them all through quite the scare.

"So, before anything else," I said as I gently broke the hug with Burgundy, and turned to Argus. "_What the heck_ is wrong with Flash!? He went nuts up there!"

Argus cleared his throat and straightened his collar. "Well, you see," he looked past me. "Well, in fact, if you follow me, you can find out."

He led us through the small crowd of people who had remained after Regirock appeared. When we reached our destination, Jess, Flannery, and Burgundy let out a chorus of, "Awwwwwww!"

Sitting before us, his back to us, was Flash, sitting proudly, tongue out, and panting. Laying a few feet in front of him was a female Arcanine, a bit thinner and sleeker than he. And all around her were Growlithe puppies, doing everything from chasing their tails to tackling each other.

Smiling, I walked up to my Arcanine, and patted him on the side of the head. "Dude, congrats! You're a dad!" I held out my knuckle, and he hit it with the front of his paw.

"When we took him to see Argus, we were surprised to see that all of his problems just…vanished once he met with Argus's Arcanine, Lady," explained Professor Oak as he walked up beside me. "And a few days later…these little guys happened. I guess it was just that time for Flash."

I chuckled as I stroked his fur one last time. "You dog, you."

…

"Right this way, Mr. Grey," said the Nurse Joy as she led me through the automatic door leading to the hospital area of the Pokémon Center. We walked down a short hallway, and she let me into the room at the very end.

Laying on a table, patched up and attached to a few more machines, was Grimlock. He breathed in and out slowly, in steady beat with the machines.

His eyes lazily followed as I made my way to the side of his bed. The hospital staff had to give him a strong sedative to keep him down, laced with Stun Spore. They assured me he'd make a full recovery, but he'd be laid up for a while.

"Hey," I said, sitting down next to his bed. "How are ya?"

He sighed, which sounded like a squeaky door hinge.

I folded my hands and rested my elbows on his bed, resting my chin on top of my hands. It was time to make my move. "You know, I'm your Trainer. And like it or not, I care for you."

He grunted again. I pressed on. "I don't ask for much, you know, just your respect. I really saved you. Twice, in fact. Think of what Addison would've done if you'd attacked me a second time?"

Once more, he grunted, not wanting to remember getting beat by a nutty little girl. "So, next time I give an order, would it kill you to follow it?"

Grimlock's eyes drifted slowly away from me and to his front, as if to say, "Yeah, sure, if you really want me to…"

I turned to the door as it swooshed open. Nurse Joy and Flannery walked in.

"Oh, there you are," said Flannery, "We've been looking for you. We wanna celebrate, the rest of us. You know, your last night in Lavaridge."

I nodded. We had agreed to battle tomorrow, giving my Pokémon a well needed rest. Later the next afternoon, I'd set off once again.

"Before I go, do you have any medicine for a headache?" I asked, standing slowly. "I've got a crazy one right now."

Before Nurse Joy could speak, Flannery grabbed my wrist and began to lead me away. "Hold off on the meds, Nurse. I have the _perfect _thing Will needs to relax!"

* * *

**To quote Tony Stark, "It's good to be back!"**

**I've also been writing for my new story, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny. Check it out if you haven't already! OC submissions don't last much longer! **

**Okay, so, Reader Question: Which of Will's Pokemon is your favorite? I think I am disqualified from saying Shellshocker, as he was technically one of my first Pokemon (well, they all arguably are, since Will is based off of me). But still, Shellshocker was the name of my first Squirtle in my first game. He was the first Pokemon I legitimately leveled to 100, through dedication, hard work, and childhood stupidity. Seriously though, I couldn't figure out that you actually had to HELP Bill transform back, and so I just wandered around and fought wild Pokemon. By the time I actually stuck around to fix Bill, instead of jut seeing him go into his machine, saying "Peace out," and leaving, Shellshocker was already around lvl 50. Needless to say, I dominated the rest of the game. So aside from Shellshocker, I've gotta say Zip. He's just so...he's Zip. Nuff said.**

**So, review! **


	51. Chapter 51: In the Heat of the Moment

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Regirock once again resurfaced, once again at the top of Mt. Chimney. Will and Flash, followed by Cage, went up to see if they could defeat the beat once and for all. Efforts proved vain and hopeless, forcing Will to send out Grimlock, his disobedient Skarmory. Even the powerhouse of a Pokemon was put down, leaving Will hopeless. Luckily, help came in the form of Kayla, and her unknown capture, Articuno. Freezing Regirock in place, they returned triumphantly to Lavaridge, where will finds out Flash's secret: he had found love in Lavaridge, and had a litter of puppies with another Arcanine. Will then goes to the Pokemon Center, and forges a fragile agreement with Grimlock, before being whisked away by Flannery to relax somewhere? What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

At this particular moment in time, absolutely nothing could compare to sliding into that hot spring, and just letting go. Not caring about anything else going on in the world, and just relaxing.

I could feel my muscles and joints sigh with relief as I lowered myself into the temperate waters. If they could talk, right now they'd be saying, "You know what, I don't even care. I'm clockin' out. Seeya!"

We had all donned our bathing suits and taken to the natural hot springs of Lavaridge Town, finally giving ourselves a chance to just relax. And the best part was since everyone else was out soaking up all they could of their once-a-year festival; we had it all to ourselves.

These waters could soothe the angriest Primeape, and thankfully so. Burgundy's fury had curbed the second she tested the water with her toe.

There we go kids, myth busted. Much like the Death Star, women have very miniscule weak points that can put an end to their fury. But also comparing the Death Star to a woman in an argument, they're nearly unbeatable and can destroy you in one shot.

So stay on target, kids.

"This is fantastic…" said Burgundy in a dream-like state, like she had been anesthetized.

Flannery sighed. "I know…and I can do this any day I want…"

Burgundy sighed as well, her head tilting to the side. I guess she too decided to just relinquish muscle control and enjoy the waters. "Flannery, I might just have to kill you, die my hair red, and learn to wear jeans so I can take your place…"

"It wouldn't be too hard…I'm really relaxed right now…in fact, if you're going to kill me, can you please do it now? I already know how it feels to be in heaven, so I wouldn't even notice the transition…"

"So, Kayla, how did you catch Articuno?" asked Wes, also enjoying the natural hot tub.

"Do I really have to explain it now?" she said blissfully. "Alright, fine. I went back to Kanto for a little while, and I went to the Seafoam Islands, and blah blah blah…" She closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the water, until her head was only visible from the nose up. She closed her eyes and blew a few bubbles.

I held up a hand. "Guys…no more talking, alright? Let's just…enjoy this. Arceus knows we won't get to again for a while…"

We all sighed in agreement, and didn't argue about my point for a second.

…

Not even thirty feet above us on a small cliff stood Shear and her temporary sidekick, Venom. The blindfold of steam that drifted up from the hot springs blurred them from sight.

Not that anyone in the actual springs themselves cared about anything going on outside of their hot bath.

Shear clenched her fist. This was getting tedious. She thought that The Alpha would be motivated to just get his badge and get out once Regirock attacked. But no, now he was _taking a bath_….and he was taking his sweet old time to boot.

Venom sat in front of her, legs dangling over the side of the cliff, chin cupped in her hands. She moaned. "Those springs look heavenly…"

Shear sighed and rolled her eyes. "You may not go in the hot springs, Venom."

"But why no-o-o-ot?" whined Venom like a little girl, turning and giving Shear a quivering lip. The warrior scowled and almost slapped her.

"Are you kidding me!? We have a mission to accomplish, and we don't have time to be fooling around!"

"But me feet are _killing _me! Couldn't I just dip 'em for a few-"

"Venom, quite frankly, I don't care!" said Shear in a yell-whisper. Even though no one was paying attention to them at the moment, that could change very fast, and she didn't want to risk it. "Why don't you just wear shoes then!? Is the concept really that crazy?"

Venom back-flipped up and faced Shear. "Nah, that ain't how Venom rolls."

Shear knew Venom's story, but it didn't help her to tolerate the mercenary any more. Venom had grown up in a circus, the daughter of two acrobats. She had become very limber and gymnastic during her years as an entertainer, and those skills now served her well as a merc.

Her parents didn't do what they did as their job: they called it their "career." They loved what they did, and weren't in it for the money. Even though they were dirt poor, the saw the light. Their incentive was their "family," and love.

Venom didn't see that same light. The girl desired money. She was fed up with the "love is all you ever need" lifestyle and, in a surprising reverse-cliché, ran _away _from the circus.

She took only three things with her: the clothes on her back, her acrobatic skills, and, most of all, her phobia of footwear.

Since she had been on the tightrope, performing feats of wonder most of the time, she wore no shoes, and since her parents couldn't really afford a pair, she had spent her entire childhood barefoot. She had never worn shoes, and didn't plan on starting any time soon.

Attempts to civilize her during her very brief employ in Team Plasma had ultimately failed; the women hired to help transform venom into a proper woman usually ended up with bones broken at very odd angles.

Shear looked back down at her targets. They literally had not moved an inch. She sighed and relented. "Fine, you can go…but be back in twenty minutes!"

Venom pumped her fist in the air, and front flipped off of the cliff. Shear didn't bother looking: she knew Venom would be okay.

She did, however, take one last peek at the springs. _They do look kinda nice…_she thought to herself. _No, I doubt my swimsuit even fits anymore…_

She shook her head wildly. _Focus!_

…

"The Gym Battle between Flannery Inferna of Lavaridge Town and William Grey of Viridian City shall now begin!" cried the ref, as Flannery and I took our respective places on the battlefield inside of the Lavaridge Town Gym.

From preliminary scans (AKA me looking around) I couldn't really discern anything that would give Flannery's Fire-Types an advantage, but she had to have something up her sleeve…

"As always, the challenger may have the honor of moving first, as well as switching at any time during the battle. The Gym Leader may not."

"You ready to get beat, well," said Flannery with a snide smile, folding her arms. "You seem to be on a losing streak lately!"

"Uh, last I recall, I kicked Regirock's butt!" I cried back.

"Uh, excuse me." I looked over at the stands. Kayla was waving her arms. "Actually, that was me!"

That incited an outburst of laughter from my "fans." I groaned and took out my first Pokéball. "Can we just get this over with before they come up with more 'fire' puns about how I'm gonna lose?"

She snickered, taking out her own Pokéball. "Why? Afraid you'll get-" she doubled over, cupping her hands over her mouth and shaking, trying to hold the laughter in, "-burnt!? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

In the bleachers, Burgundy covered her eyes and groaned. "I hope the next Gym Leader is a lawyer or something…"

Flannery's laughter was still going strong. I glanced over at the ref, who was simply checking his watch. He must've gotten this a lot.

Flannery sniffled and straightened, still giggling a bit. "Okay, okay, ahem…go, Slugma!" She threw her Pokéball, and out came the familiar Fire Slug Pokémon.

I grinned. So far, my plan was working. "What a coincidence! I choose you, Torch!" My own Slugma plopped down in front of me, yawing and batting its eyes lazily.

Wes entered Battle Analytics Mode. He leaned forward and scratched his chin. "A sound strategy…Torch will be immune to Slugma's Fire-Type attacks, so Will's got defense pretty much covered."

Professor Oak, who along with Argus and Jess had attended the battle, leaned over to talk to Wes. "That is true, plus he won't have to worry about Slugma's Flame Body ability."

"But still, that goes the same for Flannery," said Wes. Oak nodded.

"That protégé of mine has something up his sleeve. I just know it." Oak beamed. "I can feel it in my bones!"

Jess grinned and nudged Oak with her elbow. "You sure that isn't just arthritis?"

The ref raised both of his arms, a flag in each hand. "Are both combatants ready?"

"You know it!" I said.

"Yup!" said Flannery, snickering to herself. Uh-oh…here it comes. "I'm all…FIRED UP! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Everyone fell silent as she laughed it out, her laughter echoing through the dead silent Gym. She slowly regained her composure. "Alright, Will, go ahead…"

"Alright, Torch, use Yawn!" Very fitting to his character, Torch opened his jawless mouth wide, and let out a mighty sigh. Well, as mighty as a lazy exhale can be. A small pink could slowly drifted out of his mouth, and made its way towards Slugma.

When the cloud reached Torch's opponent, it began to sway and yawn itself. Its eyelids drooped as it became sleepier and sleepier.

"Shake it off, Slugma!" cried Flannery, "Use Ember!"

"Sluuuuug-….muh…" It swayed one last time, before its neck collapsed, giving the illusion that Slugma was just some sort of large pile of red goo. It was fast asleep.

I clenched my fist triumphantly. It was working! Now that Slugma was asleep, Torch and I had a little more wiggle-room. "Alright, Torch, Rock Throw!"

The slug opened its mouth wide, and slammed his head into the ground, picking up a sizeable rock with its mouth, and swallowing it.

His neck bulged as he choked on the boulder, and then yacked it out, shooting it towards Slugma at breakneck speeds. It struck the sleeping slug, sending a small cloud of dust into the air, accompanied by chips of rock.

Flannery's Slugma slowly opened its eyes, and winced when it felt the amount of damage it had accumulated whilst asleep.

"Alright, buddy, time to show them how we do it in Lavaridge," cried Flannery, "Flamethrower!"

"Slllloooog!" Her Slugma inhaled, and then shot a stream of fire at Torch. He closed his eyes and buckled down as the ineffective, but still powerful, flame brushed against him.

I had covered my own face with my arm as a means to avoid the burst of heat. As I uncovered my face, I worried for my injured Pokémon. "Torch, you alright, buddy?"

"Pah!" he coughed out a small plume of black smoke. He looked back at me, and I was surprised to see that his lazy façade of norm had been replaced by one of actual dedication. He nodded.

That put a smile on my face. "Alright then, let's get ready to go again! Recover!"

"Slooo-go!" Torch straightened himself, and began to glow of a white, heavenly aura that illuminated my half of the field. Signs of damage began to literally melt away.

"Wow…" said Jess, admiring the spectacular light. "What kind of power does it take to restore one's own cells…? I really have to study that move sometime…"

The light faded, and Torch was once again ready for action. "Okay, Rock Throw, again!"

Torch loaded another boulder in his mouth, and shot it at his enemy. But Flannery was ready this time.

"Harden, go!" Like when Torch had used Recover, her Slugma straightened, and glowed of a strange silvery aura. The boulder struck, shattering once more. But this time, Slugma had held firm.

"Your attacks won't do squat now, Will!" she cried, "Slugma's defenses are rock solid, so rocks just bounce right off!"

Well, looks like this plan was going south. Time to switch. "Well then, dearly noted. Torch, return!" I sent him back to his Pokéball, and took out a new one. "Skipper, time to finish this!"

"Mawsh!" Skipper balled his amphibious fingers into fists and stared down his opponent, actually getting a somewhat nervous reaction from the Slugma. It didn't seem unlikely that a great many Marshtomps had taken on this Gym by the orders of challenging Trainers.

"Skipper, finish it! Water Gun!" Skipper launched his geyser of water, knocking Slugma all the way into the back wall. It poured onto the ground into a puddle.

"Slugma is unable to battle!" cried the ref, waving the red flag towards Flannery's side of the field, "The victory goes to Marshtomp!"

"You did very good, Slugma," said Flannery, calling back her Slugma. "Time to call in the big guns! Torkoal, you're up!"

"Co-al!" puffed the new Pokémon defending Flannery's title. It had an orange head and orange leg, with a coal-black shell. I took out Dex to find out what I was up against.

_Torkoal_

_The Coal Pokémon_

_It burns coal inside its shell for energy. It blows out black soot if it is endangered._

Meant only for himself, Cage nodded, but Emile noticed this. Cage saw Emile out of the corner of his eye, and filled him in.

"I was just thinking about Flannery's Torkoal," he said.

"Oh? What about?"

"It may not look like much, but Will is in for a big surprise."

"Skipper, Water Gun!" I cried, going for the obvious Type advantage attack. As it usually went for turtle Pokémon, they were usually slow. I could attest to that personally, as Shellshocker was never the fastest one on the field.

But I was taken fully by surprise when Torkoal leapt nimbly into the air, avoiding the attack completely.

Skipper and I both had pretty much the same reaction. "Bwah! H-how?"

"Never judge a book by its cover, Will," said Flannery, wagging her index finger at me. "Torkoal has gone through extensive training to be the quickest turtle there ever was. Ahem, where was I? Oh yeah! Overheat!"

Fire welled up in the midair Torkoal's mouth, and it launched the blazing inferno at Skipper. I had to do some on the fly thinking.

"Tch-Bide! Quickly!"

Skipper glowed orange and crossed his arms before his face, just as the blast struck him. His knees buckled, but he still managed to hold firm until the onslaught ended.

Torkoal landed on the ground a few feet away from him. His arms shot back to his sides, elbows bent, ready for action.

"Okay then, unleash your Bide!" The energy charged into his arm as he leapt forward. Arm raised, he began his downward arc.

"Torkoal, Rapid Spin!" Torkoal retreated into its shell, and spun effortlessly around Skipper, winding up behind him and striking him in the back.

I winced. This speed was really going to be a problem…I thought I knew how to deal with turtle Pokémon…maybe I don't…

Or maybe I do.

If my idea was to work, I was going to have to carry it out with lightning reflexes. Which meant right now.

"Skipper, Mud Shot, now! Don't even aim, just shoot!"

Skipper flipped around, and without even looking, shot a ball of mud at Torkoal. It missed, but splattered on the ground in front of Torkoal. The force of the compressed blast, however, knocked it back, forcing it to rear onto its hind legs.

Just like I planned it.

"Now, Water Gun!" I ordered. Skipper obliged, launching the Water Gun point-blank at Torkoal's exposed underbelly, knocking the Coal Pokémon on its back, and rendering it helpless.

"Oh no!" cried Flannery, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Torkoal, no!"

Time for the icing on the cake. "Skipper, Water Gun, make it personal!"

"Mawsh!" he cried excitedly, hopping over Torkoal and standing in front of him for a moment. Seeing his opponent upside-down, Torkoal gulped, and was ushered out of consciousness by the Water Gun.

"Torkoal is unable to battle! The victory goes to Marshtomp!"

"Woohoo!" I jumped and cheered. Skipper too looked excited. "Good job, buddy!"

Flannery chuckled, returning Torkoal to its ball, and readying her third and final one. "Celebrating a little early, are we, Will?"

"Well, I wouldn't go _that _far," I said, rolling my eyes. She giggled.

"Alright. So be it then. Camerupt, I you're up!"

By now, seeing these things was all too common. Facing them was all too common. But I knew it wouldn't be the same.

Cage had kept a separate strategy for his, as I'm sure Flannery did for hers. And I wasn't just going to assume otherwise.

I had made my decision. "Skipper, return." Flannery looked a little baffled by this decision.

Burgundy in fact _was_ baffled by this decision. "What's he doing!? He had a double advantage!"

"Yet he still lost last time," Wes reminded her.

I looked at the Pokéball that was now in my hand. This was less of a strategy, and more of something that I…just kinda needed to do. I exhaled, and let it fly. "Grimlock, your turn!"

"ARRRRR!" cried Grimlock as he soared out of his ball, and landed with a _CLANK _on the ground.

"Now that just doesn't make sense!" Burgundy pointed out to Wes. "Skarmory is weak to Camerupt!"

"Hm," said Oak, scratching his own chin. Perhaps this analytics thing ran in the family… "From what I hear, Grimlock is a very powerful Pokémon…"

"But he doesn't listen to Will!" cried Burgundy.

And that was just what I was trying to fix. I looked over to the ref, and asked, "Can I take a quick time-out?"

The ref looked a bit baffled. "Uh…s-sure?"

Grimlock turned quizzically to look at me as I approached him. I smiled, but he kept his melancholy glare.

"Listen, we have an understanding now, right?"

Grimlock hissed. _Yeah, sure, whatever…_

"And I know we're at a disadvantage-"

"EARRRRRRR!" Grimlock spread his wings and screeched. _Yeah, what gives!?_

I waved my arms in a downward motion. "See, now that's just my point! I'm gonna show you what we can do when you listen!" Piercing his fiery, disobedient eyes with my own, I added, "When we work together!"

Turning and walking back, I left Grimlock with one key thought. _More power…_

"Are you ready to resume?" asked the ref. I nodded. "Good. Then let the battle continue!"

"Grimlock, Steel Wing, go!" Wings beginning to flutter like fan blades, Grimlock took off into the air. His right wing glowed and solidified, and his glided towards Camerupt.

It was not given any time to react, and struck right in the face by Grimlock's powerful Steel Wing. Camerupt mooed angrily as it was shoved back several feet.

"Ca-mu!" Camerupt puffed two irritated blasts of steam out of its nostrils, and pawed at the ground with its front hoof.

"That's the spirit!" cried Flannery. I got scared for a moment, thinking she was about to make another "fired up" pun. "Don't let it get close again! Use Overheat!"

Right now, Grimlock was circling around, making his way back to my side, and curving through the air, top to Camerupt. "Dodge!" I cried, his evasiveness vital to getting another strike.

With ease, Grimlock tilted his body to avoid the fiery blast. But that was not all.

"Camerupt, keep em coming!" Camerupt charged and launched another Overheat, which Skarmory once again dodged.

I bit my lip, that tingling feeling of excitement welling up on my legs. This was it…I was so close, but the slightest mistake would set me so far back…

Camerupt launched one final Overheat, and I almost literally jumped at the opportunity. "Grimlock, dodge this one, and go in for one last Steel Wing!"

"Arrr!" screeched Grimlock, not defiantly, but acknowledging. He finally understood that I was his Trainer, and if he listened, we were invincible.

He dove, drifting easily past the stream of flames, and his wing glowing and preparing to strike. He was getting closer by the second. But the shorter the distance between the two, the higher the chances of Camerupt successfully making a hit.

I had not hoped for it, but I had planned for it. Grimlock was now close enough for the range to be considered point blank. Flannery saw her chance, and she took it.

There was just one thing she had forgotten to account for. "Camerupt, Overheat! Shoot that thing out of the sky!" She pointed as if she were a general ordering all of her troops to fire at one in a glorious storm of bullets at the enemy.

Camerupt inhaled through its nose, and then blasted Grimlock with a plume of white hot flames. It relaxed, confident its enemy had either fallen or retreated.

Which was exactly when Grimlock burst through the flames, only a few burns marks on his stainless steel body.

"Wha!?" cried Flannery, just as the final attack of the battle, Grimlock's Steel Wing, struck Camerupt in the face, knocking it out. "H-how did you-?"

"You forgot that with every use, Overheat weakens the user's Special attack," I reminded my friend with a fact I had only learned moments ago when reading Torkoal's Pokédex entry. "Looks like you got a little…_hot headed_!"

Everyone else left without us.

…

We all met up on the lawn in front of the Gym. Behind us, the Fire Festival could be seen, shrunken, as it was time for everyone to pack up. The festival was over, and so was our stay in Lavaridge.

Flannery picked something out of the ref's hand, and strode over to me very elegant and ladylike; very out of character.

"William Henry Grey," she said in a high, regal tone, "The humble Gym of this Lavaridge Town doth offer the-"

"Ah, shut up and gimmie my badge."

She grinned, and held the badge In front of my face with just two fingers. "Oops!" she said innocently, dropping the badge on the ground. "I am such a butterfingers!"

Grumbling, I bent over to pick up the now muddy Heat Badge. The second I stood back up straight, I was wrapped in a hug from my old friend.

"It was good to see you again," she said as I hugged her back. "Thanks for everything."

I broke off the hug slowly, and gave her a thumbs up. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right?"

She giggled and winked, putting a hand on her hip. "Well, no good deed should go unrewarded." She looked expectantly over her shoulder. "Cage should be back any minute…oh! Here he comes!"

The large, muscular Trainer approached from behind a row of buildings, Molly tagging closely behind him. In his arms he carried a large glass cylinder with a compressed Pokéball on top.

Inside was an Egg.

It was yellow on the front, and when Cage got closer I could see that the back half was black, with two rows of silver triangles on either side.

I looked over at my old companion, who was grinning mischievously. "Flannery, you shouldn't have." I always encouraged my friends not to waste their time and money getting me things, and it annoyed me when they did.

"Will, you saved our town! It wasn't just me who wanted you to have this, everyone did!" Cage handed me the egg container, and when he did, Burgundy nudged a little closer.

"Uh-uh!" I said, holding the container out of her reach. "This one's mine!" She folded her arms and pouted.

We all laughed as I looked around at my friends. All assembled and ready to go after our somewhat less than relaxing stay in Lavaridge. It had its ups and down, but at the end of the day, I got what I came here for: seeing old friends, helping people, having fun, and above all, making a few more memories.

As I turned to declare our departure, I glanced down at Molly, who shied nervously away from my gaze. Cage grinned, and stopped her from hiding behind him. "Will, Molly has something she wants to ask you."

Molly looked up at her brother, nervous and unsure. He nudged her again. "Go ahead, don't be afraid."

She gulped, and then spoke. "Can I have a puppy…?" She looked down as if she was ashamed by the request. I knew she was just shy, though.

But that put a smile on my face. The little girl wanted a Pokémon of her own. "Well, that's really not my decision, Molly," I looked over at Flash, who was sitting with his mate and offspring. He barked happily.

"Well, what do you say, buddy?"

Flash bent over, and using his mouth, picked up one of the puppies as I had seen canine and feline Pokémon do in nature documentaries. He trotted over to Molly, who instinctively grabbed onto Cage's pant leg with one of her hands.

Gently, Flash placed the Growlithe on the ground, and nudged her with his nose. The puppy yipped, and leapt at Molly.

She didn't shy away. Laughing, she embraced the puppy, and the two fell onto the ground, rolling and laughing and yipping.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Professor Oak was standing over me, beaming proudly. He spoke only a few, simple words: "And that, William, is why you are one of my favorites." He winked.

"Hey!" said Jess, waving her arms in a mock fashion. "I can hear you!"

We all laughed, but I then went on to serious matters. I walked over to my faithful dog, and got down on one knee. I place one hand on the side of his head. "Well, buddy…what comes next?"

Panting, he looked over at his mate, and barked. "You want to stay here, don't you?"

He barked again. I looked to Argus, who nodded affirmatively. "If he wishes to remain, he may."

"Well, if that makes you happy…"

He tackled me to the ground, and gave me the biggest licking he ever had. This went on for at least five minutes.

When I finally managed to escape, I was feeling happier than I had in a long time. So much good had just happened…

-and it was all interrupted by one text message. I took out my Pokégear, and read what had been sent:

_End of Slugma Avenue_

_Make sure you are not followed._

* * *

**Ugh. I'm having a little writers block right now, and my great ideas for my new story aren't helping. I promise that this story will have priority, but that still doesn't change me not wanting to rush not fully thought out chapters. I know where I want Team Grey to go, I'm just having a little trouble getting them there. But fear not! I'm close to breaking through my writers block! Victory shall be ours!**

**Well, recap, I guess. Will has defeated Regirock, and won the Heat Badge, but his stay in Lavaridge is not yet over. Who sent the mysterious text? And what do they want? And what will come out of the egg?**

**In fact, that's today's Reader Question: What do you think will come out of the egg? Answer when you review! Tell me what you think of the story so far, the characters, etc! Every review helps!**

**And don't forget to check out my new story, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny!**

**Brute: Meh. It's alright.**

**TrainerNaps: *Opens Microsoft Words file and puts finger on backspace button***

**Brute: Okay, okay, I'm going...**


	52. Chapter 52: Just A Talk

**Previously on Revelations:**

**After enjoying a little time at the hot springs, Will challenged Flannery to a Gym Battle. One Will's side, Torch and Skipper fought vigilantly, doing their part to contribute to the win. But in the end, it was a surprise substitution that won the battle. Will chose Grimlock, not only to give the Pokemon a chance, but to prove to it and to everyone else that a strong bond is far more important than any amount of training. Will wins, and claims his badge, as well as an egg, gifted to him by the people of Lavaridge Town. Will says goodbye to his friends in Lavaridge, as well as Professor Oak, Jess Willow, and Flash, who he allowed to remain in Lavaridge with his new family (and to watch over Molly, who received a Growlithe puppy as her first Pokemon). Team Grey was prepared to go, but not receiving a mysterious text with information to meet in a dark street alone. Who sent this message, and what do they want? Find out now!**

* * *

As requested in the mysterious text, I came down the dark Slugma Avenue alone. It was a run down, abandoned narrow street, with boarded up windows and graffiti decorating all of the walls.

Funny. This seemed like such a nice town. I guess that old proverb was right: shadows do exist in the lightest of places.

I had left the egg with Burgundy, which I was beginning to slightly regret, as she hadn't been too keen on giving the last egg back, and that had cheated me out of a rare Pokémon. Plus, the last thing Burgundy, or rather her ego, needed was another baby.

But, the egg was doubtlessly safer with her than it was with me, assuming I was walking into some sort of trap. I probably was though, and decided it best to leave all of my Pokémon, save for Grimlock, back with my team as well, in case I got mugged.

Why bring Grimlock, you may ask? Well, not because I really trust him to any extreme with my protection, it's just that I pity the fool who would dare mess with him.

The narrowness of the buildings caused a shadow to fall over the whole street. Scratch that, it was a glorified alley.

I shivered as that though entered my mind. Never go into the alley! You get mugged in the alley! I cursed myself for not remembering the movies like we all say we do.

Speaking of the devil (the mugger) I heard a muffled clump behind me. Had there been any other manner of noise, I would have missed the sound completely.

I whipped around, and found myself starting into the piercing green eyes of Shear. She had her usual blank expression, which came off as angry due to her stance and eyes. The half metal mask covered the left side of her face, as usual, casting a shadow over the other side.

"Hello, Alpha," she said unpleasantly, as if she didn't want to be here right now. That almost brought me pleasure: the woman who played a major part in making my life suck was being forced to do something she didn't want to. And I had a front seat to enjoy it.

I grinned, and leaned over onto a wall. "Hello, Sammy. How's life?"

She cringed, not only at the mention of her real name, but also with its use in a degrading nickname. She shot forward, grabbing me by the color of my shirt.

"_Never_ call me 'Sammy'!" she hissed. I didn't flinch. Instead, I raised a finger and waged it in her face.

"Uh-uh-uh!" I said. "You can't cause any harm to me, Sa-ack!" She grabbed my throat with her other hand and squeezed. "I was gonna say Sam…" I choked.

I gasped for air as she left me down, and walked back a few paces, scowling. "I know. Listen, I'm only here because I have to be, and every moment having to cooperate you is one I won't be getting back. So listen up!"

Bowing, I waved my hand in a circle, and stopped when it was behind my ear. She cringed again, this time clenching her fists, veins popping out of her neck.

It really was a wonder how that mask didn't weld itself onto her face. You know, with all of the heat she lets off.

"Stop fooling around! Listen, this is important! It concerns the Regis, those golems that are following you."

I stretched showily, and she rolled her eyes. "Yup. Well, I took care of one of those bad boys…"

"And there are still two more," she put blandly. My mojo ruined, I slouched slightly.

"Aw…"

"Plus the fact that Regirock will probably get out soon…"

I jumped. "What!?" Okay, seriously now. What are we up to?

Let's see: swarm of Trapinch? Check. Dropping temple on its head? Check. Pushing into volcano? Check. Freezing solid under a layer of permafrost? Check. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO STOP THIS THING!?

"Did you really think that thing would stay frozen?" she half-laughed, putting her hands on her hips, and looking down at me like I was a kid who had just suggested something stupid. "It's on top of a _volcano_, stupid! It would've been out eventually even without that added factor!"

My head fell into my hands. If I had to constantly battle these things for all eternity, they'd eventually wear me down.

Realizing something, my head shot back up. Team Plasma wouldn't call their prized pawn and talk about the invincible assassins hunting him for no reason. There had to be a plan.

I inquired. "Of course we have a plan! Well…kinda."

My arms fell back down to my sides. "Wait!" she said, rolling her head. "Yeesh, if you get depressed this easily, we're gonna have to keep a better eye on you."

"Hey! I wouldn't go _that _far," I said, understanding what she meant. She cackled and continued on.

"We know how we can end this…sorta…"

"Do you for sure know _anything_?"

"I know that if you SHUT UP AND LISTEN, we can solve this problem!" She cleared her throat, and started pacing in a line in front of me, motioning with her hands.

"We need to keep these things off of you, that's for sure." Yeah, because they need me! For what besides their little errands, I had no idea. But there had to be something more.

"So, I've hired a professional to fight these things while you go to Dune."

I was a bit taken back. "Dune? Is that a person or a place?"

Shear nodded. "Place. Dune is a small, out of the way village in the Desert of Peril. In it are some ancient temples and ruins, which archaeologists have been throwing themselves at for years, trying to discover their secrets. A certain archaeological prodigy has, as of late, joined a dig there."

I smiled as a sense of familiarity and excitement filled me. "Amanda…" I'd jump at any chance to see one of my old friends, especially her now. I mean, it would've been better earlier, as she was very insightful on troubling issues.

Because, you know, the whole "I had a twin sister," thing. That kinda messed me up. I felt a lot better now, but it would still be good to see her.

Shear nodded, not caring I was off in my own little world. "We believe that she and her team have cracked the ruins' secrets. Among those secrets, a way to turn off the Regis."

"So you want me to go find her?" I asked. Shear nodded, her brows furrowing.

"Well, I'm glad you actually listened this time! So, once you find this secret, which we've codenamed Objective Kill-Code, report to me _immediately_!"

She tossed me something. I was startled to find it was a phone, my own phone. "How did you…when did you…?"

"You're careless. Anyway, I pre-programmed a contact you can use to reach me in there. Once you use it, it will delete itself from your phone's memory, so be careful. Make sure you have Objective Kill-Code when you do, otherwise it complicates things. The number is listen under the name Aunt Sandy."

She nodded, before turning and facing a building. She bent her knees, as if preparing to jump, and then remerging I even existed. Half turning to me, she said, "Good luck," and leapt up onto the rooftop.

…

"Come on, come on…just leave…"

Shear waited patiently on top of the building, crouched as so she was hidden from view to anyone on the streets below. Right now, that was just The Alpha.

He stood there for a few moments, fiddling with his Pokégear to make sure the contact was there, fiddling with it a little more, perhaps to see if he could find the actual number.

He couldn't of course, but he kept at it. That kid was annoying, make no mistake, but he never gave up. He was tenacious: Shear would give him that.

But he was also wasting her time, and risking the ruination of her little plan. If he hung around much longer…

Her heart skipped a beat as he finally turned and left, looking over his shoulder several times to make sure he had no pursuers. Smart. Annoying and tenacious, but smart. One of the reasons he was even in Plasma Advance in the first place.

Once he was gone, the sound of his footsteps echoing against the empty walls gone, Shear nimbly leapt down, landing in a crouched position.

She didn't have to wait long at all. The second her lithe body had been stood up, she hear heavy clumps behind her.

Hunter Cain had arrived.

Shadows slowly drew off of him as he dramatically walked out of a dark alley. But he wasn't the spy type who you'd expect to actually have to hide. He was more of the "Look Fear in the eyes, then laugh in Fear's face, punch Fear in the mouth, collect Fear's teeth, string them up on a necklace, and then leave while Fear lies bleeding" type.

That all came from his description though, not his character. Hunter Cain never talked. And you couldn't see his face, either, as it was covered by a metal mask. This was different from Shear's in a number of ways; it covered his whole face, save for his peaceful blue eyes, and was not a robo-ninja esque mask like Shear's. It was just a piece of metal with eyes hole, shaped to fit one's face.

Cain wasn't massive, but he was big. His dark skin was accented by the impressive muscles lining his arms. His impressive six-pack abs could be easily seen through the tan muscle shirt he wore. Odd for his line of work.

_ But seriously_, though Shear, _You could grind meat on those things…_

And his chest wasn't the most impressive part. Instead, it was what slung across it. An ammo belt he wore like a sash, but ammo it did not carry. Instead, strung across it, were Magnemite, all laying still. Alive, but dormant.

And across his back was a massive, technologically advanced assault cannon, which he carried like it was a wiffleball bat.

Even with all of this, Shear felt she could take him if need be. But something still rubbed her wrong. Her spine tingled as it struck her. Of what he reminded her of.

The Stalkers. Those cyborg assassins she and her team had encountered on that op in Silph Co. Tower a few years back.

The silent, secretive, and overall ominous vibes he gave off reminded her exactly of the monsters that had essentially killed her first love, as well as the fact he wore a metal mask like they.

A sudden thought sprung into Shear's mind. A skeptical one, one that she knew couldn't be right, but was there anyway. _One Stalker got away. It could be him…_

Shear shook her head, dismissing the thought. As she had previously thought, it was illogical, and overall impossible.

First of all, she had impaled that final Stalker with a sword when it was making its exit, though it vanished afterwards. Whether it was a fatal wound, or it actually got away, Shear may never know. Though Cain's perfect abs suggested he had no wound in the area, plus the fact that he was so athletic.

Most obvious was his build. The Stalkers had all been shorted and leaner, with considerably smaller muscles. They also had pale skin and long white hair. One could argue that hair can be cut and died, but skin would be harder to pigment.

Still, using context clues, it was safe to assume that Cain was not a Stalker. Shear did her best to push her feelings aside as she started her short conversation with Cain. As he never talked back, all conversations with him were as such.

"Your targets are creatures of legend: Registeel, Regice, and later, Regirock. The first two should be big an easy to find. They're headed for a target, and we can approximate the paths they will take based on that target's location. Even so, they're enormous and don't hesitate to destroy, and should be very easy to find.

"Regirock is currently incapacitated, but will soon break free. We will notify you when this happens. Again, this mission is not to destroy them, but to deter them. To give their target time to accomplish his tasks. Understood?"

Hunter Cain nodded, turned, and left. This man was the definition of "Short, sweet, and to the point," both in speech and combat.

Shear wished all of her subordinates could be more like him.

…

Rosaline Grey whistled to the tune of her favorite song as she washed dishes in her kitchen. Her husband, son, and daughters were all out, leaving her to only cook for herself, but she had seen friends over the night prior, and jumped at the opportunity to cook for more people.

Funny, she thought. There were many times where she'd chew her husband and children's ears off about she was always the one cooking. Although they were usually jokes, as Rosaline was a very docile woman, she now found it ironic that she wanted to cook in their absence.

She could easily keep this fact a secret. Rule Number One of Marriage For Women: never let a man know he is right. Stubborn isn't stubborn when you're a wife; just keep at it until they give up.

Because they will, as Rule Number One of Marriage for Men is: the woman is always right.

She held out her hand, and had another dish inserted into it. The vine holding the dish retracted back to the Bulbasaur who was handing Rosaline dishes from the table.

The Bulbasaur, now nicknamed Dally (as a male version of the name Delilah, who had been Rosaline's first Pokémon) had adapted quite nicely to life with Rosaline. It had been willing to stay, especially to eat, but at first had trouble coping with the amounts of cleaning and housework that came with having a woman who was home alone as your Trainer.

And yes, she was his Trainer, technically. It had been made official a few days earlier, when Rosaline had captured him in a Pokéball. Though it was just for the sake of technicality: Dally had gone willingly, and she kept him outside of the ball most of the time.

Even so, the two got along very well. Dally didn't really like the dusting and the vacuuming and the dishwashing. But he very much enjoyed the walks together, the working in the garden, her reading her favorite books to him. It was a good life.

Rosaline stopped scrubbing a plate as she heard the doorbell ring. She unconsciously took it to the door with her, opening it with the other hand.

Her jaw dropped, as did the plate, shattering on the ground. Standing before her was a Ranger. Rosaline knew what this meant. She would now have to do something she had regretted not doing every night for not doing earlier.

It had kept her up at night sometimes, even. She had feared this moment; she had hoped it would get closer. Every single day of her life.

It was time to talk.

The Ranger looked down at her feet, nervous as well. She was slightly shaking.

"May I come in?" Juno asked softly.

* * *

**Aw, Rosaline and Juno are gonna have a mother-daughter heart to heart. How touching! And we can be sure that Cassius and Will shall soon have their father-son one.**

**About the couple days delay, you know, it's the end of the years, and stuff gets a little hectic. Sadly, a few more gaps like this might appear on the road to summer, but hey, that's how the cookie crumbles. Ima do my best for yall!**

**As a consolation, I've got some...TRAINERNAPS TRIVIA! Yeah...stuff about my writing...woot...I hope this isn't a shallow consolation, but it's what I got. I actually find this to be the most interesting trivia I've given so far. I think I'm starting back on #9, so correct me if I'm wrong. Here we go!**

**TrainerNaps Trivia:**

**#9: Shauntal, also of the Unova Elite Four, was originally intended to be Will's sister. But do to striking resemblances (at least to me) between Will and Caitlin, I chose her instead. Many decisions about characters spring-boarded off of the book-loving Shauntal's presence, but were kept in even when Caitlin was re-casted as Will's sister. These being Will's love for books, as well as some characters being references from my favorite plays. Will's family's names being literary references were more of an homage to the bookworm Shauntal, but were kept in anyway. And hey, guess what comes next...**

**#10: Will's father's name, Cassius, originates from Shakespeare's ****_Julius Caesar_****. In it, Cassius is a person who has the ability to identify the motives of men (not just dudes, just humans in general). In Plasma Saga, this is an irony, as we have yet to find out his motives yet for inserting Aria's spirit into Rosaline, thus creating two children: Will and Juno.**

**#11: Rosaline's name not only goes along from the fact that it makes sense since she is a botanist, but also because it is the name of Romeo's original love interest in ****_Romeo and Juliet_****. Seriously though, that play takes place over the course of a few days. In the beginning (Spoliers if you don't really know it) Romeo is crazily infatuated with a girl named Rosaline, though she has sworn off of marriage. He's on the verge of practically killing himself, when all of the sudden he meets Juliet, the two fall in love, and he immediately gets over it. Seriously Romeo and Juliet "succumb to their love" and get married SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THEY MEET! Rant aside, Rosaline's name is also an irony for something that will happen later in the story. Don't worry: Cassius and Rosaline won't split up. They love each other very much and...ugh, that sounded weird. Just keep in mind they'll stay together. Who knows? Maybe the irony will be that an old flame of hers returns...Well, I know but...eh.**

**And as a mini trivia, we do not yet know Will's cryo-ability. Again, I do, but...anyway, a slight hint is dropped by Shear, unknown even to her. MWAHAHAHAHA! Ahem, see if you can pick it out...it's really inconspicuous though.**

**Okay, Reader Question Time! Since I'm in a Mystery Dungeon mindset (due to my new story launching CHECK IT OUT!) I'm going back to the good old personality quiz from the first games, to one of the most memorable questions, or at least a variation of it. Say aliens invade the Earth. Do you...A) Run like a coward and hide, hoping for it to blow over. B) Fight back, for the sake of the Human Race! For honor! For victory! FOR THE EARTH! C). Be a freakin Benedict Arnold (what a jerk!) and seek to join the alien slime invading our home, to sell out you brothers and sisters and seek a higher position among the alien overlords...**

**Cain:...**

**Rosaline: Answer and review, please. Oh dear, what am I going to say...I hope Juno doesn't notice the dirty dishes...oh my...**


	53. Chapter 53: Dust to Dust

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will responded to the mysterious text, finding out it was Shear that sent it. She tells him of her plan to send Team Grey to Dune, a small desert town, where they will find Will's old friend Amanda Garneau, who has apparently uncovered the secrets to stopping the Regis from their relentless pursuit of Will. She then speaks to another client, the silent and stoic Hunter Cain, who is tasked with keeping the machines busy while Will works. What will he find in Dune? Stay tuned to find out!**

* * *

The sound of boots hitting the ground was muffled by a small pile of sand. The spy thanked her lucky stars that her combat boots reached her knees. She hated sand. It was course and rough, and it got everywhere.

But, as the not-so-old saying goes, "The Silph Man gets what The Silph Man wants." And so the spy found herself here, in Dune, a poor excuse for an establish town. Village. Whatever.

It wasn't the town itself that made the spy hate it. It was simply the sand. And not for nothing, but Dune was an okay town.

Dune had been founded a couple hundred years ago. Scratch that, many hundreds of years ago. Its founding predated the Hoenn-Unova War.

Its founders had been priests and holy men, who felt their religion didn't get the respect it deserved from the people. They felt as if they were wasting their time trying to set up fantastic chapels in the major holds and cities of Hoenn. And so they found the perfect spot for their holy city.

Said spot had been a pristine lake. And said lake had once sat where Dune now was, in the Desert of Peril.

They built fantastic marble castles and towers, and wondrous temples across the small archipelago of islands in the lake.

But one day, it all simply…vanished. All of the water, that is. The climate turned from warm and humid to festering and dry hot. Various species of plant and Pokémon life vanished. It is theorized that the last living Lileep lived in these lakes, and died when their home did.

The survivors refused to leave their home. They thought if they continued to pray to their deities, the rain would come and they could once again thrive in their cities.

Rain never came. At least not in amounts that could bring the cities back to their glory. But the people held onto hope.

They did their best to rebuild and stay alive in hopes of the return of their whimsical paradise.

And it never did. The sand piled up, the winds grew hotter, and more people left. Some remained, leaving but a tiny town as the remnants of a once great city-state, now renamed Dune.

No one wasted their time coming to Dune. Sightseeing tours throughout Hoenn completely skipped over the place, not wanting to waste the few dollars' worth of gas it would take to come here.

Dune's mayoral office had to pay copious amounts of money to get trade into their dying town, which bankrupted a once rich family of the lake area, their fortune dating back to the original settlers of the area.

Which is why Listhelle and her family were the way they were. Listhelle had just been a baby when the last remnants of her family, the Averons, fortune trickled away.

Listhelle had never truly got to experience the high standard of living that her parents and her sister had gotten used to. She her oldest memory was stamped at a time where her family was of low class, and so she never truly remembered how it felt to be rich.

Her sister, Nassana did, and Listhelle pitied her for it. Once the Aires of her family's fortune, she now worked as a waitress in a local tavern. Every night she would come home, feet sore, depressed, and longing for her old life back. Listhelle knew it ate away at her day and night. Tortured her even.

She liked to think like it didn't affect her, but it really did. She was always told that she looked grumpy, and even though she tried to deny it, she knew it was right. The pure knowledge that if Dune hadn't bled them dry, that she could be living it up right now without a care in the world; you know it would get to you too.

Listhelle sat now under something almost more valuable than money in Dune: shade. As most of Dune's buildings were of a square shape and had no real roofing besides stone, they gave off no odd shade.

Except for points during the day where the sun pointed in a way that the buildings casted a shadow. But going for those places was futile. The children and adolescents of the town pretty much had the sun's patterns mapped out, and were at all of the best spots when they appeared just to keep cool

But Listhelle had found her own spot. Thinking it provided no shade at all, the other children generally avoided the black skeleton tree at the south end of town.

It looked as if a shriveled up witch's hand was trying to grab at the sky (and all who got near) which helped scare of the younger kids.

Which was crucial, as the one shade this tree did give off was if you shimmied into a narrow crack at the back of the tree, which allowed you to then sit down and relax. No one else could really fit, except of course for the smaller kids and people like Listhelle, who was so skinny.

The fifteen year old sat in her usual spot, the expression on her face like she was scowling at the book in her hands. Like stated previously, she couldn't really help it.

Her dirty blond hair hung in strands over her face. And by "dirty blond," it means that the blond hair on her head was actually just really dirty, not the actual color known as dirty blond.

As per usual, there were pretty much no sounds audible in Dune, save for the excited shouts of children all the way on the other side of town as they played soccer or baseball, and of course the occasional desert wind.

Listhelle shifted the position of her legs, crossing them as they were stretched out before her. She had to admit that the sun felt nice on her skin, but not when she was exposed directly to it. And so her bare feet and legs soaked up the acceptable amount of rays.

Hearing a dry twig snap, Listhelle's eyes snapped fully open, and she jumped up. And regretted it as her head slammed into a large knot in the tree.

Grasping her aching cranium, Listhelle stumbled out from under the tree, and felt herself fall into someone's arms.

The person helped her stand, and Listhelle opened her eyes, the person coming into view slowly as her vision adjusted.

The woman before her was taller and a bit broader. She wore a black silk shirt and black pants, as well as a brown cloak, the hood of which cast a shadow over her face and obscured her features.

"Wh-who are you?" croaked Listhelle, who probably should've drank a little water a little while back. Her throat didn't hurt however; the residents of Dune were sued to dryness of the mouth and throat and it never really bothered them.

"I mean you no harm," she said in a soft, caring voice. "I know you, Listhelle. You're a very smart girl. Could you help me find someone?"

This lady was beginning to creep Listhelle out. She was a bit worried that this cloaked woman knew who she was. Not because that would've meant she dug through databases looking for Listhelle's info, but she cared enough to come out into the middle of nowhere to actually find these things out.

Listhelle licked her dry lips. Again, not out of actually being parched, but because it was a natural sign of anxiety.

And the cloaked woman knew this. Which played to her advantage.

"Who do you need to find?" asked Listhelle. She knew how these played out: some sort of creeper or kidnapper would claim that he lost his Growlithe or that he needed to find a friend, and lure some unwitting teenager or child into a trap.

"My sister. She is in this town."

Bingo! Alarm bells finally became fully audible in Listhelle's mind. This lady was a pedophile or something, no doubt.

A friendly smile came to the woman's lips. "Listhelle, I know you are a very smart girl, and that you must be thinking I'm a pedophile or something."

Now this was getting really creepy. Listhelle took a nervous step back, and looked up at the tree. Her Pokémon, Swablu, was still asleep. She'd be of no help.

"No, no, I mean you no harm," said the woman, reaching into her pocket. _Here we go,_ thought Listhelle. If her face wasn't showing her fear right now, she'd be rolling her eyes. _What's it gonna be? Money or candy?_

Instead the woman pulled out a card. "Take it," she said. "It will verify my identity."

Despite all of the thing in her mind that were wrong with the situation, Listhelle reached out and hesitantly took the plastic card. She read the woman's first and last name, as well as the rest of her information.

And it all checked out. This was a legitimate ID card. Listhelle looked up, a bit reassured. Sure, there were creeps out there, but there are still those people that actually need help. It was sad that we lived in a world where a person is taught from birth that their first reaction should be skepticism instead of helping another.

Upon reflection the cloak wasn't too weird at all. It was a desert, after all. The woman just wanted to keep cool.

Listhelle handed back the card. "So, who are you looking for? Your sister, I mean. Who is she?"

"She is an archaeologist. Her name is Amanda Garneau."

…

"Will, would you _please stop looking around like that_!" laughed Burgundy, facepalming as if I was embarrassing her.

As we walked down the sandy path, I made sure to keep on the lookout for any Trapinch that thought they could get a lucky bite out of me.

My brain was swimming in a combination of paranoia and OCD. Every couple of seconds or so my head would shoot to the side, as if I hadn't checked that direction enough.

I'd flinch at every small noise, from the crunch of my friends' shoes (or my own) on the dirt, or a desert wind blowing a tumbleweed. The egg given to me in Lavaridge was squeezed tightly onto my chest.

Emile shot a skeptic look at me, and then turned to Burgundy. "Uh…you sure we should let will carry the fragile illegitimate baby Pokémon?"

"Why not?" joked Wes, nudging Emile with his elbow. "He's probably the most careful of us all right now."

"I resent that," I said as manly as possible, before shrieking and falling on my rear as a sudden gust of wind had sent some grit into the air, which I had interpreted as a Trapinch breaking ground.

Everyone stopped and laughed at me. I grumbled as I picked myself up, and shrieked again as I felt hot metal on my back.

Patting the spot down with one hand, I said, "Zip, need I remind you that your metal is heating up in the sun?"

"I am sorry, Maker. I only wished to help," said Zip, who was now back and good-as-new from the Lavaridge metal shop.

A mischievous grin spread across my face as I thought of a quick and easy method of revenge. "Hey Zip, I think Burgundy needs a little 'help'."

Zip perked up when he heard of an opportunity to please me. "Of course Maker! Right away!"

He zoomed over to the young connaisseuse, and pressed himself against the same area of her back as he did mine.

She yelped, and stumbled ahead. Zip tried to follow her and continue his mission.

"_WILL I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!_" she shouted, running ahead. I stopped to watch the fruits of my minimal labor and enjoy some sweet revenge.

Wes and Emile stopped next to me, wordlessly watching as Burgundy dodged and ducked under Zip, trying not to get singed again.

Emile shook his head. "Will, if you ever move to any of the Union regions, please never become evil."

I turned. "Why not?" I asked, bringing a small grin to Emile's face.

"Cuz if you do, I might have to fight you. And you're a freakin' evil genius."

We all turned to see Burgundy returning, hands on her knees and panting. She had begun to sweat, and she licked her lips as she got back. I assumed they were dry.

Her eyes bulged as if she had just remembered something, and she turned just as Zip came in for the kill.

"That's enough, Zip," I said, holding up a hand. He halted inches from her face.

Ready to give me an earful, Burgundy turned and was shut up before she even started talking, as she was face-to-face with a smiling Skipper. She looked up at me and whimpered.

"To cool you off," I said with a smile, and snapped my fingers. A Water Gun was launched straight at Burgundy, knocking her on the ground coughing and sputtering.

She got up, now drenched in water. I patted her soggy shoulder as I walked by. "C'mon Highlighter Head, let's move on. I wanna eat lunch."

At this point we were pretty much at the front gates of Dune, a shabby little town. We all were on the lookout for some sort of sign indicating a restaurant or something.

But our stomachs demanded food now, and we spotted a small row of vendors and stands. Emile pointed to one carrying a wide variety of fruits, which would hold us over for a while.

I took out a few Poké, as I estimated there would be no digital way to pay in this town. We approached the stand, one girl standing in line in front of us. She was considerably shorter than I, with black hair tied back in a ponytail.

She wore her tan-grey jumpsuit only up to her waist; the rest was hanging from her waist like a sweater tied around it, which revealed her tan skin and her white tank top.

"Do you have any peaches?" asked the girl in a light and patient tone of voice. "I really like peaches."

I grinned as I realized who it was. The physical details were a bit shotty for immediate recognition, but I only knew person who would pick peaches over any amount of any other kind of food.

The girl turned and gasped when I tapped her on the shoulder.

"Will!" she shrieked, embracing me in a hug. I hugged back.

"Hey, Amanda. Dig up any dinosaurs lately?"

* * *

**Team Grey and Amanda Garneau have reunited, her hinted return to Hoenn revealed to be true! What will be in store for Team Grey next? And who is this mysterious woman who serves The Sylph Man? Is she truly Amanda's sister, or is this just a ruse? Find out next time!**

**I'm glad I got to update sooner this time, guys! I'm finally breaking through my writer's block, and the initial excitement from my new story is beginning to wear off. Don't get me wrong, I still love writing for it, but the hype of a new story is becoming more even.**

**I'll try not to get too wrapped up in watching the old episodes of Falling Skies, but I'm SO EXCITED FOR SEASON 3 NEXT WEEK! Like I mentioned in PMDEoD, it's a fantastic scifi show, and I compared it to Walking Dead, except with aliens and a better story (in my opinion). There's only one season per year, and a crazy cliffhanger at the end of each season, keeping fans like me involved. So give it a shot, you'll really like it.**

**So, Reader Question: As October ticks closer with every passing day, our eyes (and hopes) are more and more on X and Y. Theorists are having a field day, supposed leaked details are surging through the internet like a virus, the trolls have come out for New Pokemon Game Season to talk about how dumb the games are and how the next one is gonna ruin and end the series. All the normal stuff. Everyone is talking about what they want (me included) but let's mix it up a bit. This question is intended to be free of troll-accusation, so don't feel bad when you answer (unless you ARE being a troll, in that case get out). What DON'T you want to see in the next games? What hinted or rumored thing do you think the series would do good without, or just something you thought of that you hope they didn't.**

**Again, this is a troll-free question both ways. You won't be accused of being a hater or a troll for giving an honest answer, but don't make an effort to be one.**

**Me, I think the rumored new Types could be done without. I've prepared a detailed explanation on that opinion of mine (lemmie knew if you wanna hear it) but I feel this Author's Note has gone on long enough, so I'll end it now.**

**Listhelle: Comment and answer in the review! Nothing fun happens here anyway, might as well give us some reviews to read...please...**


	54. Chapter 54: Hole In One

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Listhelle, a poor citizen of the poor town of Dune came into contact with a strange cloaked woman. The woman claimed to be looking for her sister, the archaeologist Amanda Garneau. Meanwhile, Will and Co. make their way to Dune, Will and Burgundy messing with each other on the way (why don't they just kiss already?). Once they reach Dune, they stop at a fruit stand to get some snacks, and Will runs into (you guessed it!) his old friend and classmate Amanda Garneau. What does this woman who serves The Silph Man want with Amanda? And what will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

I received a swift kick in the shin from Amanda. The smile on her face writhed and squirmed like a dying Wurmple, and her nose twitched as well as she fought a losing war against her pet peeve.

"Archaeology…is the study of ancient cultures and people," she growled through gritted teeth, her shoulders rising up and down as she breathed heavily. She was standing at an odd angle with both of her feet pointing at each other, and her right eye twitched.

"-_paleontology _is the study of dinosaurs, William…I am currently on an _archeological_ dig."

I gulped, and choked slightly, as my throat was dry. You would not like Amanda when she was mad, and she wasn't mad when you confused archaeology withpaleontology.

She was _livid_!

"Should I-" I pointed over my shoulder. She grimly nodded.

I handed the egg to Burgundy and patted it. Then I took off, Amanda counting to three before she ran after me.

"GETOVERHEREWILLIAMGREYIMGONNAKILLYOU!"

…

"So," said Amanda, gingerly sipping her drink. She had taken us to a small café not too far from where she had finally caught up to me and tackled me to the ground. "How's your journey so far? You know, since I last saw you?"

It was made of stone, and slightly underground, so there was a delightful chill in the air. We had ordered a few drinks and were currently waiting for our lunch to be delivered.

"Oh, you know, it's all good," I said casually, sitting back in my chair. "Just uh…you know…journeying around, colleting some badges, getting chased by invincible assassins…"

Amanda choked on her water, and then struggled to swallow. "What was that last part?" she croaked before swallowing the rest.

Moaning, I leaned my elbows on the table. "Well, three ancient Golems kinda awakened and are trying their darndest to kill me…oh, and did I mention I can't kill them?"

A chairs suddenly scraped the ground as Amanda shot up, hope and excitement glittering in her eyes. "Will, do you know what this _means!? _They exist! They really do exist! They thought I was crazy, they called me insane, but they actually _exist_!"

She shrieked happily and continued to ramble on about the countless books that would need to be written, the dozens of manuscripts that could be translated and better understood by studying my hunters.

So basically, nothing a normal human being would understand.

Burgundy leaned over to Wes and whispered in his ear, "I think she's a, uh…couple relics short of an ancient temple…" Wes chuckled and nodded.

Bringing her back to the Earth, I tugged on her shoulder. She looked down at me curiously like I was some sort of lost Growlithe puppy begging her for something.

She got down off of the table. "Oh…erm, sorry…I got carried away…didn't I…"

"Yup!" said someone from across the café. She bit her lip and tried to cover the side of her face with her fist as she leaned on her elbow.

"Hey," I put my hand on her shoulder again, this time to comfort her. "It's alright. I get riled up about stuff too. That's nothing to get ashamed of. We all do!" I leaned in closed and whispered, "Just check out Burgundy."

Said subject to a sip of her iced tea and nearly choked. _Dégoûtant! _The sugar completely clashes with the lemon!"

I shot Amanda a sarcastic grin, and she giggled. "Okay, okay, so why did you come here in the first place?"

"Like I said," putting my hands on the table in a business like position., "We need help with the Regis. And we believe the secret to stopping them is within the ruins you're studying."

"Ehe, yeah…" she once again nervously rested her face on her arm. "I'm not exactly studying the _ruins_, per say…"

"What are you studying then?"

"I'm still trying…to get into…the ruins…"

"Could we help?" asked Emile.

"No, I don't really think so. I mean, I think I'm close. I was _really _close at one point; there was an adjoined temple at the other side of the desert, but some earthquake or something knocked it down…"

Burgundy and I exchanged nervous glances. "Erm…well…what are we waiting for!" I said, standing up on my chair and feigning bravado. "Let's go raid that tomb! Shortround!" I said, pointing at Burgundy, who crossed her arms. "Start the car!"

"I am not calling you 'Doctor Jones'," she said melancholy, as we all got up to leave. Burgundy stopped me as I was about to walk past her.

"Should we…you know, tell her that _you_ were said earthquake," she whispered into my ear, cautiously looking ahead to make sure Amanda didn't hear us.

"No, not now," I whispered back, "Maybe on some other day. A day she can't get mad at me on. Like my wedding day! You can't get mad at someone on their wedding day!"

She giggled and patted me on the head, as if I was a small child who had just said something cute but wrong. "Correction: you can't get mad at a _girl_ on _her_ wedding day. Because it's not about anyone else."

Quite pleased with herself, Burgundy walked ahead. I scratched the back of my head, not admitting she was right, but not knowing anything else to say…

…

Amanda led us across town (which was about a five minute walk since Dune was so tiny) to a square of sand, defined by the four small metal sticks pointing out of four corners, which had maroon tape forming the shape itself.

Inside the square were people wearing pith helmets and tan-grey jumpsuits, digging with a wide array of tools, from shovels to tiny brushes.

We were about to follow Amanda over the tape when she stopped us suddenly. "Hey, archaeologists only! I have to clear this with my boss, okay!"

"What seems to be the problem?" came a shrill, shaky voice from behind us. Making her way slowly and balancing her steps with her cane was a wrinkled old woman. She wore an old timey brown and purple dress, and hair white hair was up in a bun.

Amanda stopped and came back over the tape. "Oh, hello Mrs. Tierra."

The woman chuckled and waved her hand. "Please Amanda, call me Judy."

"I don't believe I've made your acquaintance," said Wes, more politely than I was used to with him. I figured it was due to his being used to meeting his grandfather's old colleges.

He took Mrs. Tierra's hand and shook it. "Well, what a gentleman! And like I told Amanda, you can call me Judy."

Wes nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She growled, not angrily but playfully. "Now don't go pulling any loopholes, sonny! I ain't your mother and we ain't in the army, so don't be callin' me 'ma'am'!"

"Yes Mrs.-er, I mean Judy."

She cackled again, before getting down to business. "What can I help you young Trainers with?"

Amanda did a short introduction. "Guys, this is Judy. She's the mayor of Dune. Judy, these are my friends: Will is a Pokémon Trainer, Wes is a Pokémon Professor in training, Burgundy is a connaisseuse, and uh…" she paused tentatively at Emile. "Actually, I'm sorry but we've technically yet to meet."

"Emile," he said, unoffended, "Pokémon Ranger."

"Ah, a Ranger of Pokémon! Well, you all seem like responsible young people. What can I help you with?"

Amanda cleared her throat. "Well, I kinda need clearance to bring these guys into the ruins with me, and-"

"Oh, that simple? Permission granted!" Amanda nodded thankfully. Even though her project manager deviated most tasks for the group, and could say which ones amongst them could and could not do things, he was allowed in this town only by the good grace of Judy, and her word was the be all/end all. If he didn't like a decision Judy made, he'd either have to put up with it or leave.

But Amanda assumed it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Her manager tended to be fairly flexible.

"Erm, there is one thing, however," said Judy, breaking us away from our individual thoughts. "If you find anything related to the drought, could you please look into it?"

"Of course," said Amanda, before making her way once again over the tape.

"Wait, wait, hold up," I said, holding out a hand to Amanda. She stopped. "What is this about a drought?"

Turning to Judy, I saw that her expression had become grim, and was looking down at the ground, both hands on her cane. "Yesterday was supposed to mark the beginning of the rainy season. And nothing has yet to happen. Our reservoirs are near empty as it is, and we can't go for much longer without water."

"I'm sure it'll rain eventually," said Burgundy, "I mean, I'm no weathergirl, but weather is never set-in-stone, right? It changes all the time."

Once again Judy shook her head. "I'm afraid not, child. For the past one hundred and fifty years, it has rained without fail on that day. We need to know why it isn't raining, and fix it if we can. We don't have enough money to import water for all of the townspeople."

I dug into my pocket, taking out my wallet and holding it up. "It may not be much, but I've accumulated a not-too-shabby fortune during my travels. Could I-"

"No!" she snapped, almost sounding offended. She held up a hand. "I could not allow you to give up your own Poké for our problems. Plus, it wouldn't be nearly enough." She bowed her head. "Thank you, young man."

"We'll do our best to solve your problem," said Wes, smiling reassuringly at the woman. I was beginning to wonder which goal took priority: the Regis or the water.

Judy chuckled happily, and stopped when her eyes glimpsed the egg in my hand. "Oh dear, you don't plan on going down there with that egg, do you?" she asked with motherly concern.

I looked at the egg and bit my lip. Perhaps it had been a good thing giving Burgundy Togepi's egg back in Johto: I had no idea how to take care of the thing!

"Well, let me take it off of your hands!" I tried to protest as she took the egg, but nothing came out but a squeak. I didn't really know what to say!

"Trust me, young man, I will take good care of the egg. We have wonderful sand baths that will keep your egg nice and warm until you return from those ruins. Now, good luck!" She shooed us away.

And with that we all headed over the tape line. Amanda lead us to the center, past her colleagues who paid us absolutely no mind. They compared notes, dug holes, tested sand content, and dug holes. There was a lot of digging involved with being an archaeologist.

We finally reached a small tent (which was basically a square piece of cloth suspended in the air by four poles) with several piles of books and bags around it.

"This is my station," said Amanda, kneeling down and reaching into one of the bags for something, "And it's also where I suspect we'll be able to enter the temple."

"How do you figure?" asked Wes, checking out a few of her books. From the bag she had been rifling through she pulled out a large sketchpad, a few pencils, and a meniscus. The sketchpad was covered in complex math problems I didn't understand.

"Well, the people who designed these temples, the ancient Hoennitians, had a similar design to all of their places of worship. They'd have a main area where prayer would be held before entering the rest of the temple. We've found that portion, but it's been sealed off. I theorize that we should be able to enter through a room in which they worship their sun god. All of their temples have a room like it, and more importantly, a hatch that can be opened to gain entry. Now, by factoring the distance of the doorway and the depth of the temple-"

She went on to explain how she figured out where to start looking, recreating her entire math sheet on an empty paper as if to demonstrate.

"Yeah, she's a pretty big math geek," I whispered in Burgundy's ear just as Amanda was finishing up.

"-I then divided by the relative mass, and found that if said hatch exists in this temple, it would be right…" without looking away, she prodded the ground with a finger, which sunk into the sand, "-here!"

I was excited. We were getting somewhere finally! Perhaps by the end of the day I would be able to stop the Regis once and for all!

"Alright!" I said, clapping my hands together and taking out two Pokéballs. "CJ, Scout, let's help Amanda!"

"Kiiiirl~!" sang CJ, twirling and happy to be out of her Pokéball.

"Vrrrr!" said Scout, twitching nervously as she examined her surroundings, but settling down quicker than usual and looking up to me for instructions. I guess the desert setting put her a bit at ease.

"Okay team, here's the deal," I said addressing my Pokémon. "We need to help Amanda clear away this patch of sand. Think we can manage?"

Both sent forth their agreements, and got to work. Using Confusion, CJ sent a steady stream of sand into a pile next to Amanda's station. Scout used her Sand Attack to slap clumps of sand into CJ's pile.

In no more than three minutes, they had finished. Revealed to us some two feet below the sand was an decrepit stone slab, only a miniscule fraction of what I guessed to be the outside of the great temple.

The small circle of what we saw was a fading sun shape, stretching out into intricate orange patterns. In the very center was a small hole, which Amanda cleared away with her hand.

She lowered herself down, kneeling by the hole. The silver chain around her neck was taken off, revealing a small blue crystal the size of a banana. She licked her lips in anticipation.

Burgundy bent down near the hole. "What is that?" she whispered, her mystification taking over her voice.

"It's a crystal I bought off a vendor in the Haruba Desert," said Amanda, sizing up the hole with her fingers. "The civilizations before us figured out how to use these things as keys and indicators. They can activate maps and such. Each type of crystal works on a different civilizations stuff.

"I've been searching for a while now, and it hasn't worked on anything I've discovered in any other region. Only here, Unova, and Orre remain. I'm hoping I get lucky this time…"

Amanda took in one last deep breath and raised the crystal in a stabbing motion. She closed her eyes. "Well…here goes nothing!"

_CLANG! _She jabbed the crystal into the hole and twisted. At first, nothing happened. I thought it was a dud.

But Amanda obviously knew her stuff better than I did. She waited for a moment, holding her breath.

And then the ground beneath us rumbled. The orange sun pattern glowed blue, and black cracks appeared in the stone.

"Yes!" cried Amanda, jumping up and pumping her fist into the air. "It worked! It finally worked! I knew it would-whoa!"

She stumbled, and caught her balance. The rumored hatch existed, and was opening in an octagonal pattern. She stood on two of the triangular shapes retreating from the center.

"Amanda!" I cried, but it was too late. The hatch opened fully, and Amanda fell in screaming.

Stumbling, I ran for the edge of the hole and peered in. I looked down, and all I could see was I pile of sand. The only light was that of which we provided with the opening of the hole.

"I'm fine!" called Amanda, popping out of the pile of sand. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great!" I called back, dangling my legs over the side, "I thought the Archaeological Adventures of Amanda Garneau ended with a door!"

I couldn't tell if she was making a face at me or not from down there, but I guessed that she was. "I'm offended, William Grey!" she mocked, "I really am! Now get down here!"

At this point Wes and Emile had made their way to the hatch, with Burgundy close behind. I stood up to relay Amanda's message to them, when all of a sudden I felt a hand grab my shoulder and apply pressure.

On her way down, Burgundy had tripped. And guess what (or who, to be more precise) was the only thing that would help her keep balanced?

Me, of course. With a shriek of surprise, I was sent tumbling into the hole.

"Maker!" cried Zip as he shot down to the edge of the hole.

The fall only lasted a few seconds, and ended in an "Oof!" from me as well as a small cloud of sand being kicked up. It didn't hurt much, but I did feel the impact when I hit the sand pile.

Lying on my back I could see perfectly the hole above me. Wes, Emile, CJ, Scout and Zip all looked down at me, and Burgundy's head soon appeared as well. A sheepish grin crept onto her face.

"Ehehehe…sorry Will," she squeaked.

Still lying in the sand, I crossed my arms. "Zip?"

"Yes, Maker?" he called down from above.

"I think Burgundy needs a little 'help' getting down."

"Of course, Maker."

Burgundy gulped. Her body jerked as she tried to react, but to no avail. Zip darted behind her back and gave her a gentle nudge. Screaming, she pencil-dived into the sand, disappearing beneath it.

I saw a flash of purple accompanied by a splash of sand as she surfaced. "Pwah!" she shrieked uncomfortably, "The sand got everywhere! It's in my mouth, it's in my hair…" She shuddered. "It's in…other places. Oooh, I'm gonna get a rash!" She slammed her fists down in the sand. "Thanks a lot, Will!"

I chuckled, raising my hand to block some sand as she threw a clump at me. "Hey, let's not forget that Zip pushed you in!"

She cleared her throat. "Excuse me. Thank you _Zip _for causing me extreme discomfort."

"Oh, you are most welcome, Organic Burgundy coma Connaisseuse Pending Reinstatement," said Zip in his ever polite yet annoying tone as he drifted down and hovered right in front of Burgundy. "I live to serve the Maker."

He swiveled to face me. "Did you find my services satisfactory?"

"Very much so, my friend," I said, giving a thumbs up. As I reached my arm out, Burgundy grabbed it. She pulled it close and bit my thumb.

"Yowch!" I recalled my arm and nursed my thumb. "Your teeth are sharp…"

She giggled, and flashed me a toothy grin. "My nails aren't the only thing I file," she said sadistically.

Higher up the sand mound, Amanda was sitting cross legged reading some charts, completely oblivious to mine and Burgundy's antics. "We should head down the central corridor," she said without looking up, pointing to the right.

Once I had fully removed myself from the sand, I looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, an enormous set of black stone doors which had to be at least twelve feet tall. What were they looking to fit through those…

I heard a rising and excited shout as if someone was riding a roller coaster, and was blanketed in another wave of sand. Emile popped his head out, and Wes followed him.

Next to me, CJ drifted gracefully down, curtsying when she reached the ground. Scout followed her, looking nervously from side to side in an effort to familiarize herself with the new environment.

"Hey!" We all raised our heads to the ceiling. An archaeologist wearing a crimson helmet and maroon hair was looking down at us, his face lit up with excitement. "Amanda, did you unlock this?"

"Yup!" she said proudly, looking up from her maps. Discoveries made by people like Amanda sometimes went unnoticed among the global community. But when a team member on a dig found something, it must've been an achievement celebrated by the others like a family.

"Wow! That's great! I'd come with you, but I think I'm just dug up a Lileep! I have to make sure! You know how I am with fossils!"

"I do indeed, Roark. Happy hunting!"

"Same to you!" he called back. I was right: these people really were close nit. I was glad Amanda found a family away from home.

She had it pretty good back in Viridian though, despite her position. Amanda had spent her first few months of life in an orphanage: she had been abandoned at birth. Her current parents adopted her at a very young age, and helping her out of the dismal life most adoptees usually lived.

It was probably a good think that memories of the orphanage didn't exist for Amanda, as she was about six months old when she was adopted. I was glad for her. Her parents loved her a lot, and they were great people; I had met them before. She had two younger brothers: biological offspring of her parents, but they all loved each other just the same.

How weird it was that I was thinking this when Roark said what he said next: "Oh, and by the way: your sister stopped by earlier. She was wondering what you were up to!"

Amanda's head leaned back in confusion. "Sister? I…I don't have a sister…"

…

Meanwhile, up at the surface, the cloaked woman watched from a distance as Roark leaned down a hole in the ground, yelling at the people below.

She knew exactly who was below: Garneau. Hehe…rhyme…

Normally in conditions like this she would pursue, but not yet. Too many people around. And while all of the archaeologists had their noses in books or were deeply invested in research, she'd at least need to wait until Roark left.

Her cloak billowed as she turned on her heel, walking back to town.

Nick and Agent Six would need an update.

**How many of you jumped for joy when I sarcastically asked if Will and Burgundy would just kiss already? Be honest.**

**All shipping-joking! I mean joking! Ahaha...haha...haaa...erm, anyway, Will, Amanda, and the crew have fallen into a mysterious temple to investigate the ruins inside in hopes of finding the secrets to stopping the Regis as well as solving Dune's water problems. What challenges will they encounter? Who is this woman, what is her mission, and who are Six and Nick? Nick...we've heard of him before, haven't we? From a certain clone...Stay tuned to find out!**

**In all seriousness, I have plans for this "Nick" character. Not just as a character in PS, but beyond. He's gonna remain mysterious for a while, so just chill.**

**P.S. There's a hint in Chapter 57 of the original Plasma Saga as to who Nick is...**

**Anyway, more TrainerNaps Trivia that I forgot! Because, if you recall (I don't!) HORRIBLE MEMORY!**

**TrainerNaps Trivia:**

**#13: As you know, I love putting little literature Easter Eggs in my stories. Rosaline's Bulbasaur, Dally, is name after the protective older brother of the main character, Ponyboy(that is his name, I kid you not) in the classic story ****_The_****_Outsiders_****. Dally's overprotective nature, yet inability to truly protect the one it loves will come into play...**

**#14: I also love themes and symbolism. Shear's mask represents her humanity and her innocence. When her first love, Agent Gold, was lost, she put the mask on, symbolizing her loss of innocence and becoming more machine than man. You see her throughout the earlier parts caring for nothing less than the mission, and showing very few signs of emotion other than anger. No one truly knows what is under her mask, but we do: horrible burn scars representing the damaged innocence she can never get back. The mask often casts a shadow over the uncovered half of her face, showing that at times if can overshadow her remaining humanity. But as of late she has been taking off the mask more and more, and showing more emotion and caring, especially for her sister. What will happen when she fully takes off the mask for good...?**

**Okay, Reader Question time(I hope going really deep into themes didn't kill the mood) But what is your favorite Nintendo franchise besides Pokemon? Mine is Zelda no contest. Kirby is good, but I don't LOVE it. Same with Mario. Fire Emblem Awakening is fantastic, but I just wish it's franchise had better success in the past, as it's getting overlooked by many because of that. So, that's it for me, tell me what you think!**

**Speaking of Zelda, it's sorta been a tradition of mine to play Wind Waker on the first day of June each year, to transition myself from spring to summer. Seriously though, my body does not accept the season as "Summer" unless I have beaten Wind Waker. This just kinda became a tradition because beating Wind Waker for the first time as one of my first Gamecube Games (and first video games) is one of my fondest memories, and I've been doing it for years since. After that I play Twilight Princess (my favorite Zelda and also a fond memory) and this year I'm thinking of adding Skyward Sword into the mix.**

**I've rambled on enough. Answer and review, por favor.**

**Amanda: In the name of science, you must review!**


	55. Chapter 55: Persons of Interest

**Previously on Revelations:**

**The Team took a little time to get reacquainted with Amanda, whom they met in Dune. They then went to her archaeological dig site, where they heard the plight of Dune from it's mayor, Judy. Will leaves his egg with her and promises that he will try to find a solution to her water problem if they make it into the temple. Of course they do, and the team sets out for its inner secrets, while the mysterious cloaked woman reports back to her comrades. What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

"Alright, everyone ready to move out?" asked Amanda, gathering up her charts and such and storing them in her pack. Also from there she removed two long black cylinders. "I only have two flashlights, and I need one. So who-"

"That will not be necessary," said Zip, drifting up to Amanda. She jumped back in surprise, slowly reaching out her hand as if to touch Zip and prove his existence.

Her head swiveled to me. "I-it talks?"

"We refer to 'it' as 'he', actually," I said a bit awkwardly. I never really got the whole "Explaining How A Pokémon Could Talk" thing down. I had enough trouble with Celebi, and she could speak for herself…

Amanda swallowed, her gulp audible in the empty and echoing chamber. "Still, that's amazing! You must've had to give it an extensive amount of training to allow it to _talk_!"

Burgundy grunted, crossing her arms. "Getting him to shut up it the part we're still working on."

"Though he pretty much came like that," I said explanatively, still trying my best to explain Zip without giving away too much. Which was hard due to his ties to my own past. "Zip, how about a proper introduction?"

He buzzed with excitement, his magnets twirling. "Of course, Maker! I am Personal Memory Unit Z-19, outfitted for the storage of sensitive materials and information. I have over twenty million gigabytes of storage."

As if she had just stumbled upon the greatest trove of treasure in all of history, Amanda's eyes shot open and her shoulders tensed. She grabbed Zip's magnets like they were handles. "Twenty…million…GIGABYTES!?"

She shook Zip rapidly. "Yes," he said amidst all of the jostling, "Twenty million gigabytes. That translates to exactly-"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS!?" she shouted down at me. Those of us at the bottom covered our ears as "MEANS" bounced from wall to wall around the chamber.

Poor Scout. She has heightened hearing to begin with, let alone the fact that her senses increase underground. Amanda continued regardless of our bleeding eardrums.

"Zip could be the most valuable and useful archive tool in HISTORY! We could record EVERYTHING on him! So if our civilization ends, no one will have to hunt all over the place for answers; they'll all be on Zip."

Wes let out some weak laughter. "Uh, Amanda…isn't talking about the end of the world as we know it a _little_ pessimistic?"

He did have a point. That's basically like, "I'm gonna write a note on the counter to let people know the password to my phone. You know, in case I die this morning."

"Sorry," she said embarrassedly, looking at her feet. "Got carried away…just sayin', I'd really like to work with Zip one of these days…"

"Take him!" cried Burgundy. "Whenever you want! _Literally_! Zip can go with you whenever you'd like!"

I shot her a glare, and she turned and started to whistle.

"Organic Amanda coma Archaeological/Paleontological Student, might I return to the original query?" asked Zip. Amanda's gaze snapped away from Burgundy and back to Zip.

"Oh, of course, Zip. Flashlights, right?"

"Yes. I have equipped a fully functional flashlight. If necessary, I can deviate enough power into it for it to serve as a spotlight."

To demonstrate, a massive beam of light shot out of his eye with the sound of a very big switch flipping echoing off of the walls.

Amanda quickly covered her eyes. "Th-thanks, Zip," she said still squinting, "but a regular flashlight will be just fine, thanks."

The beam narrowed and shrunk in intensity. He drifted back down off of the mountain of sand, and shined his light on the door.

Sliding down the mountain, Amanda pulled the blue crystal back out from around her neck and held it in her hand.

It really did just look like a generic crystal. In a nutshell it was a straight blue banana. The main body had four sides, while the prism tips at both ends had six.

We followed Amanda across the massive room and reached the door. She leaned in closed and studied the sculpting on the stone for a moment, before clearing away a patch of sand with her hand.

Revealed was a small, hexagonal hole. In which she jammed the crystal, and twisted.

With a mighty creak and boom, the double doors cracked open, and then slowly began to swivel.

Emile whistled in admiration. "That crystal sure does a lot of stuff."

Amanda nodded, looking down hopefully at the crystal. I could almost literally hear her heart flutter. "You have no idea. Now that I'm sure its coded to Hoennitian artifacts, there is so much I can do now! So many questions that can be answered, so many doors that can be opened…"

She grasped the crystal in her fist, just as another _PWFOOM! _echoed behind us. We all jumped, startled, and looked back at the mountain of dirt.

A teal head poked out of the dirt. It was a woman, probably in her early twenties. Red earrings dangled from her ears. She pulled herself out of the sand, revealing a tank top that matched her hair and a pair of nice jeans.

Well, they were nice. Before they got coated in sand.

"Arg!" she screeched. "The things I do for a-GWAH!"

A white blotch landed on top of her. It was a large man wearing a white T-Shirt, a pair of faded jeans, and a backwards red baseball cap. Next to him was a blocky black object…a camera?

"Ugh…" he moaned, his hand moving slowly to his head. "That _sucked_!"

"Ey!" came the very muffled noise from underneath him. "Or on ee, Oy! Eh ohh!"

He jumped to his feet, brushing some sand off of his jeans. "Oops…sorry, Gab."

The woman had been flattened into the sand, her arms and legs spread out. "Oww…" she sat there staring up at the ceiling for a moment, before her eyes snapped back to the man. "Ty, what are you waiting for!? Be a gentleman and help me up!"

We watched the two argue for a few moments. Well, not really arguing. The lady just yelled at the guy and he weakly (very much weakly) tried to passively defend himself.

"Why do people with weird hair always have to be so…" I looked down at Burgundy, "-weird."

She scowled and stomped on my foot. "My hair is _not _weird!" Her hands immediately went up to her hairdo. "Is it…?"

Over at the sand pile the two had finally gotten oriented. The man, grumbling, hoisted a large camera over his shoulder as the woman brushed some final bits of dirt off of her jeans. Pulling a microphone from Who-Knows-Where, she smiled and ran over to us…in heels.

"Hello there, everyone," she said half to us and half to the camera on Ty's shoulder. "I'm Gabby Winters, bringing you coverage on the recently discovered Temple of…uh…"

"It doesn't have a name," said Amanda, her eyes flicking from Ty to Gabby a bit confused. "H-how did you get down here?"

Ty shrugged. "Press badges didn't work, so we just walked in. Nobody really stopped us…"

Gabby punched him in the arm, to which he responded with a girlish "Owwww!" Gabby cleared her throat. "We were brought here by our gut instinct!" She patted her belly.

A gurgling growl echoed through the cavern. "Oof," said Ty, letting out a slight belch and doubling over a bit, "Speaking of 'gut instinct,' mine is taking back its decision to let me eat that three cheese pizza…"

"Well I doubt there are any bathrooms down here, dummy!" she hissed, before clearing her throat again and straightening back up, "Well, I'd just like to-erw!"

She squirmed uncomfortably. "Oh, I got sand in…places…"

"You and me both, sister," said Burgundy grumpily.

Amanda nudged me gently as she made her way to the front of our group. "Listen, guys…I don't mind if you tag along, but please don't let your journalism soil this grand new discovery. I…I just don't want you to be _those _press guys, you know?"

"Oh, I know!" said Gabby, her cheery expression fading to an angry, vengeful one. "Believe me, I know…" She clenched her fists and trembled for a minute before straightening back up. "Anyway, we just really need a story so we can get our boss off of our back, and-"

"Wait," said Wes, interrupting. "How did you know Amanda would make her discovery today? How did you know who Amanda even was?"

Ty shrugged again. "We just kinda came down here and hoped the archeologists found something. Plus we heard about the three cheese pizza…"

Once again Gabby elbowed him in the gut and then straightened back up and cleared her throat (Yeesh, journalists sure do have a lot of phlegm). She opened her mouth to speak, but then bit her lip and turned back to Ty. "You can, uh…you can cut all that out, right?"

"Sure," said Ty lazily. In truth he had absolutely no idea. This could be live for all he knew.

Amanda assessed the situation a bit more, still kind of processing what currently was going on. "Alright then…if we're ready, we can move out."

"Most certainly!" said Gabby cheerfully, as she turned around and walked backwards as she talked into the camera. "We are now being lead into the deep catacombs of this mysterious temple. What will we find in the halls beneath? Ancient treasure? A map? A zombie king seeking vengeance for humans defiling his tomb?"

Ty shuddered. "Gabby, stop," he whispered, "You're gonna give me nightmares again…"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not staying up all night with you if it happens again, Ty."

I rolled my own pair of eyeballs and decided to tune them out as Gabby continued to narrate our little venture.

The halls were wide, at least fifty feet from wall to wall. I mean seriously, these things were huge!

Apparently I wasn't the only one thinking about it. Emile whistled. "These corridors are huge! What _did _they want in here?"

"Or not want," said Amanda observantly, shining her flashlight at something on a wall. It appeared to be a large, rusted metal grate. It was round, and water dripped from it.

"A pipe?" Burgundy wondered aloud. Amanda nodded.

"Back when this area was all lake, I assume they could pull a switch somewhere and flood the temple."

That earned another whistle from Emile. "These people were really serious about their religion."

"One way or another," agreed Amanda. "They were polytheists; they worshipped multiple gods. Two to be precise. One of the sun and fire, and one of the moon and ocean. While they did have a sun room, the one we entered through, to pray to one of them, this temple is dedicated to the ocean god."

Wes nodded, getting the general idea. "And the flood system was in case he dropped by for a visit."

"At least that's what I assume," said Amanda, "But we won't know for sure until we reach the antechamber. At least, I hope we-whoa!"

We all stopped behind her as we entered a large room, a great cistern. One massive, circular pool of water dominated the middle of the room, its waves reflecting on the walls in that beautiful pattern I loved. A stone walkway wrapped around the outer edges.

Yet drifting aimlessly around in the air were dozens of Pokémon. They looked like little brown tops painted red, with egg shaped heads. I fumbled in the dark to take out Dex.

_Baltoy_

_The Clay Doll Pokémon_

_Discovered in ancient ruins, it moves by spinning around and forms a group when it finds others._

I heard a squeak beside me, and lo and behold, Amanda was staring at them, mouth agape, hands trembling. I sighed: she fawned over ancient Pokémon.

A Pokéball seemed to fly into her hand. "A-Amanda," I said nervously, trying to handle the situation delicately. At any moment she could fling that ball at the currently passive Pokémon and set them off. "Y-you may not want to just throw a Pokéball at them…"

"I'm not stupid!" she snapped in the heated moment, "I have Pokémon! Squid, go!"

"Prrr!" squeaked the small blue squid Pokémon that came out of her Pokéball. It had a yellow colored shell and big anime eyes. I rolled my eyes as I reached back into my pocket to get Dex AGAIN!

_Omanyte _

_The Spiral Pokémon_

_A Pokémon that was resurrected from a fossil using modern science. It swam in ancient seas._

Before any of us could say anything more, Amanda was on the offensive. "Squid, use Water Gun!"

"Prr!" shouted Squid, a jet of water shooting out from in between his tentacles. It struck one of the Baltoy, sending it into the pool.

"Yes! Now, Squid, go get it!"

Squid obediently hopped into the pool and disappeared beneath its still surface. Slowly and in unison, the Baltoy all turned to Amanda. Her exhilarated expression faded as she returned to reality, realizing her Pokémon was gone and she was hopelessly outgunned.

"You done goofed, Amanda," I said grouchily, crossing my arms.

She let out some weak laughter and scratched the back of her head. "Oops…I kinda got carried away…"

"Yup."

"TOOOOOOOY!" screeched the enraged Baltoy. The force of the sound waves shook the room, and we all covered our ears.

"AS YOU CAN SEE-" yelled Gabby, one hand over her ear and the other clutching the microphone, "ARCHAEOLOGIST AMANDA GARNEAU HAS ENRAGED THE DOCILE BALTOY, THEREFORE CAUSING THEM TO FLY INTO A-"

"NOT HELPING!" yelled Wes.

The screeching abruptly stopped, and something every stranger started. An opaque orange mist that looked sort of like cinnamon started streaming from the circular shape on the Baltoys' bellies, and pooled in the center of their swarm.

It glowed like the sun, and then launched a massive ball of energy at Amanda. Paralyzed by fear, Amanda had no idea what to do; no reaction.

"Watch out!" cried Emile, leaping and shoving her out of the way. The energy exploded against the wall.

Emile stood a few feet away, clutching the breathless Amanda's shoulders. "Thanks," she said distantly, her head spinning.

The energy in the center of the room let out another hum, and then jettisoned yet another bolt of energy. Emile yanked Amanda to the side, nearly stumbling into the pool.

This whole scene seemed oddly familiar. It was one the tip of my tongue…I snapped my fingers. "Meteor Falls!" I said aloud, turning to Zip. "Hey Zip-?"

"Already calculating, Maker," replied my trusty drone.

And that was when the energy turret decided to fire on us. It was Burgundy's scream that alerted me to its re-aiming. "Look out!" she cried, and we all jumped away from the blast.

Zip finally finished his calculations, and from there it was like catching Magikarp in a barrel. He bounced from Baltoy to Baltoy, knocking them into the water one by one.

He floated back to my side, just as Squid hopped out of the pool, an unconscious Baltoy in his tentacles. The expression on his face was like, "What I miss?"

"Thank you, Squid," said Amanda awkwardly as she bent down and tapped the Baltoy with an empty Pokéball.

Her eyes met my tapping foot, and she looked up and grinned nervously at me. "Happy?" I asked.

"Kinda…"

The clacking of heels rang out behind us as Gabby jogged over, Ty puffing behind her. "That was _AMAZING~_!" she chirped. "True Trainership! Can I have a few words on the matter?"

"Uh…" I mean, I'd been interviewed before by people at the Pokémon League, and of course Kelci, but there had never been a giant camera in my face. It was kinda imposing…

Amanda had picked herself up by now. "Should we get going? We have a whole temple to cover."

I was relieved that I had an excuse to get away from the camera. "Well," I said a little too excitedly for an apology, "Sorry, but your interview might have to wait a little while! Laters!"

…...

"Hey Amanda?" asked Burgundy as we continued down the corridor linked opposite to the one we had entered the cistern through. It was pretty much identical to the last one: plenty of space, metal grates, sand dripping in from the ceiling.

"I've been wondering. I mean…er…never mind, I mean, I'm no archaeologist…" She looked away and started rubbing her arm.

"Ask away, Burgundy. Questions are the first step to uncovering a mystery," Amanda said openly. Burgundy relented, though sharing reluctantly.

"Well…I was kinda wondering…can Baltoy learn Rain Dance?"

"I can check," I offered, pulling Dex back out of my pocket to check the move pool of the particular species. "Hm…yeah. Actually, they can."

Burgundy nodded and turned back to Amanda. "So, I was thinking that maybe…maybe the Baltoy controlled the rain in Dune. Maybe they gather in that spot every to make it rain-"

"Make it rain, make it rain, make it _rain_!" rapped Wes. Burgundy glared daggers at him. He sheepishly returned a grin and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Sorry. Continue?"

She rolled her eyes. _Idiot…_ "Anyway, _like I was saying_…something within the temple could be disrupting whatever coordinates them. They certainly don't have mouths, eyes, or ears, so it has to be something else."

Contemplating what she had just said, Amanda waved a finger at Burgundy. "You may be onto something, Burgundy. Are you sure connaisseuse it the thing for you and not archaeology?"

At first she had taken it as a compliment (which it was) and proudly raised her head to acknowledge, but then received a blow to her ego as she recalled her banishment. "Well…sometimes I doubt it…"

"That theory may be valid," chimed Zip, his flashlight dimming as he talked, "In fact, my Maker has been giving off a strong electromagnetic current and ever since I was last awakened."

I stopped dead in my tracks, my mouth agape as I realized something. How could I be so stupid!? I shook my head as I also realized it wasn't entirely my fault.

"Zip, hold up. I've literally been broadcasting my every move to the Regis, and you DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME!?"

"I apologize, Maker, but it never became relevant in any past query or conversation between you and I, or anyone for that matter," he shot back. Well, not really shot back. He was still being polite…and I guess he was right. He was programmed to do what was asked of him, and I couldn't change that.

"Do you wish to know more of this, Maker?" asked Zip. I eagerly shook my head.

"Yes Zip, tell me everything you know on this subject," I yelled out trying to avoid any more loopholes.

He paused for a moment, searching his databanks. His magnets drooped, as did his eyes. "I apologize again, Maker, but I have very little on the subject. All else I know is that another transmits this signal as you do: Organic Juno coma Pokémon Ranger."

Fear stabbed me in the chest and congested my breathing. "Oh no…oh no!" I whipped out my Pokégear and started dialing Juno's number.

"Will what's the matter?" asked Burgundy. Seeing as I was suddenly afraid, she started feeling a little nervous herself.

I gulped. "Guys, I think I know why _all _of the Regis haven't been attacking me…"

* * *

**Well, looks like Will soon won't be the only person who has his hands full with Regis. Next time on Revelations, we'll be seeing how this affects Will's sister. We also got to meet Ty and Gabby, reoccurring characters from the games, and soon to be in Pokemon: The Plasma Saga. These guys are pretty much slated for comic relief(don't we already have enough of that?) and I don't know how I'll make them come full circle and play a part in Book 5, as everyone makes an appearance there. I'll work on it.**

**So, nothing much to report on this end. Wind Waker is going well, I just started Halo 4 Campaign on Heroic just for fits and giggles, and I'm doing much better then I anticipated. *Gasp!* I know, I'm not playing Mass Effect at the moment! WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TOO!?**

**Yeah...Reader Question: What is in your opinion the best FanFiction story that you've ever read. Don't worry, I won't be hurt if you don't say mine...*sniffle*...no, but seriously. I would outlaw saying mine, but it's a genuine "Your #1" question. You can say mine, you can say your own. I have no problem with you taking pride in your own work. I certainly do when I read my own. But for me, Pokemon Black and White" Tony's Journey by Coli Chibi is a fantastic story that is definitely worth investing the several hours it takes to get through his over 120 amazing chapters. He even submitted OCs for PMDEoD! I can't wait to use them!**

**Roark: Yes! I made it in Book 3! Take ****_that_****, Dad! Gardenia's gonna be sooooo jealous...ahem, please review and favorite and stuff...and uh, ahem, tell TrainerNaps you wanna seem a little more if The Roarkster if you wouldn't mind...**

**TrainerNaps: Hey Roark, do you know what "artistic license" is?"**

**Roark: *Gulps* **


	56. Chapter 56: Like Brother Like Sister

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Team Grey, temporarily on loan to the archaeologist Amanda Garneau, prepared to enter the ruins beneath Dune, when all of a sudden they were interrupted (and reluctantly joined) by the peppy reporter Gabby Summers, and her not so enthusiastic cameraman, Ty Jones. The group plunged into the ruins, and inadvertently discovered the cause of Dune's drought: a colony of Baltoy had gone crazy beneath in the ruins. After getting them to calm down (and Amanda risking everyone's lives to catch one) they continued on, and Burgundy pitched her theory on why the Baltoy lost it. Not only was her theory of electromagnetic disruption correct, it sparked Zip to tell Will that he has been emitting an electromagnetic pulse, which has been allowing the Regis to track him. The chances of Juno doing the same were high, and so Will desperately tried to reach her. Will he be able to in time? Find out now!**

* * *

Far away, in the Viridian City Shopping Mall; more specifically, in a clothing boutique called Limited Mew, a surprisingly girly ringtone went off in the pocket of Juno Saphira/Grey.

Placing the hanger of the shirt she had been admiring in her mouth, she reached into her pocket and dug out her phone. She retook the shirt in a now free hand and answered.

"Hello?"

"Juno, is that you?" came the crackled response. Juno took a moment to check the connection. It was surprisingly low, considering she had just dropped her last cell service provider, Terrakion Mobile, for Virizion Wireless.

By nature, Juno was a short tempered person, so most people were used to her snappy responses. "Well, if you dialed my number, then chances are _it's me_!"

"Yeah, sorry, just checking," came the equally snappy response, "Kinda a sensitive matter." Only one person had the guts to snap back at Juno and know that she wouldn't rip their arms off and feed them to them: her twin brother (our hero) William Grey.

And even so, he usually drove her past that point…

"What is it Will, I'm kinda in the middle of shopping with Mom," she sighed as she placed her phone between her head and her shoulder, continuing to sift through some clothes on a rack.

"Okay but-wait, your adopted mom or our biological mother?" He seemed really baffled at the second part.

"Yeah," she replied gingerly, "We talked and we made up. There was truth, a little crying, we hugged at the end. Long story short, I'm taking the week off so we can do some bonding."

Will was silent for a moment. "Wow, that fast? I haven't even talked to dad yet…"

"Well, that just proves that girls are better than guys," she chirped, and blissfully added, "Now why are you disrupting my first vacation in three years?"

"Okay, well, remember that-oh, wait, you weren't there for that one…"

She rolled her eyes. Her brother had the tendency to underline the things that other people had missed to make himself feel more included in cool things that went on. He was a real geek sometimes.

"Okay, anyway, there are these big invincible monster guys that are chasing me, and I just found out that they're tracking me through some sort of electromagnetic wave that radiates from my body." He paused for a moment. "Looking back, maybe that's why I always used to set off metal detectors at the airport…"

Her brother also had the tendency to go off on alternate tangents. But you already knew that.

"Sorry! So, I also just found out that I'm not the only one who emits these rays. You do too."

"Cool," she replied dispassionately, "Does that mean I have to tell the people next time I use the airport, because I hate-"

"No!" he hissed, "Listen to me! There are three of these things! I only have seen one! There's a strong possibility that one of them, if not more, is headed for you right now!"

"Meh, I'll deal with it later," said Juno confidently. "Right now I'm gonna try on this really cute pair of jeans I just found. You should see it. It's the kind that-"

"I'M BEING SERIOUS!" he yelled, causing Juno to wince and hold the phone away from her ear.

"You know, maybe _you _should take a vacation too, Will. You really-"

Juno stumbled as a large explosion rocked the mall. A few women shrieked within the store, and even more from the outside.

The phone crackled. "Juno, was that-?"

"Call you back, Will," she said abruptly, and snapped the phone shut.

Juno immediately dashed for the door, her Ranger instincts kicking in. A sudden siren startled her, nearly making her trip. Looking down at her hand she realized that she had forgotten to put down the jeans, and that they had set off the store alarm.

A gaze back up taught her that the store alarm would be the least of her worries at the moment. Walking slowly through a large hole in the wall, plaster and dust cascading down on it, was a large silver and black robot.

It had an upside down "U" shape for a body, with two round legs and two flat arms. It had seven red dots forming an octagonal shape on its head.

"ZTEEEEE-E-E-E-EL!" it exclaimed with a metallic croak.

…

I stared idly down at the phone in my hand, which now showed me a picture of a telephone with an "X" over it.

I couldn't believe it. In our greatest hour of need…my own sister…a person I had spent nine months with before we even technically existed…hung up on me when I wanted to warn her ahead of time that a giant DEATH MACHINE was literally at our doorstep.

"What's so funny?" asked Burgundy as my look of distraught briefly melted into a humorous one whilst I giggled.

"Sorry," I chuckled, trying to snap myself out of it. "I just imagined Regirock standing at my door and ringing the doorbell…"

They all stood silent for a moment. "I'm sorry I asked," whispered Burgundy, "Sometimes I legitimately regret asking…"

Gabby centered herself back in the focus of Ty's camera. "And there you have it, folks," she said in a low tone of voice to try and prevent me from hearing. It didn't work. "A textbook example of madness due to fatigue in an otherwise lonely situation."

"Hey!" I protested. Gabby put on a sweet façade, and began to whistle. "Amanda, are we…"

Amanda was walking slowly forward, her head swiveling all the way up as she reached the adjacent chamber. I ran to catch up with her, finding myself doing the exact same thing.

"…there yet…" I finished with a whisper. This chamber was truly a sight to behold. Perfectly cylindrical with a flat top, this wide tube-like chamber must've gone up for at least two hundred feet.

In perfect symmetry along the walls in ring formations, glowing blue crystals shot tiny balls of electricity from one to the other, like an eternal and liner game of Ping-Pong.

And that wasn't even the most majestic part. Before us, still at least thirty yards away, was a massive tiered alter. On the main pinnacle, glowing ancient runes whispered forgotten secrets two whoever could decipher them.

I had a decent amount of Poké on Amanda.

Lost in paradise and without any regard for the rest of us, she jogged forward, running up the layers of clean cut marble to reach the colossal alter. She bent over when she reached it, putting her hands on her knees.

"This writing…what does it say?" I asked as I skidded to a stop behind her. Amanda held up one of her forefingers to indicate that she needed some more time.

"Hm," she said, scratching her chin, "These runes are familiar, but I can't quite make them out. If they're ancient Hoennitian, then it's got to be some sort of lost dialect…" She spoke softly, like she was in a dream and couldn't believe the reality of anything here.

"Can you read any?" asked Wes who had overheard the last part coming up the tiers.

She bit her lip as her right hand hovered closer, but she retracted it at the last second. Better not to touch it yet…

"A little…" she pointed to a specific row, "Here, it says something about a 'curse on the realm,' but the way it's being phrased references a person…perhaps an outlaw? A rouge warlord? Hmm…"

Amanda scanned a little more, before exclaiming, "Aha!" and pointing to a row above them. "Here!" she said proudly, motioning for us to come closer. "There's a name here…can't quite read it, though. Ar…Arianna? Ari…Ariel? Ari…a…Aria! The person's name was Aria!"

I found my fists clenched at the name of the witch who called herself my ancestor, and had caused me so much trouble in the past. Knock on wood that would be the last, but deep down I doubted it.

"Then it goes on to talk about 'appeasing' this Aria person…then it says something about…okay, here's the whole passage, 'Despite our wishes, the wisdom of those passed, and destiny itself, we must appease this curse upon the realm somehow. She desires power, and finally has met a force that challenges her in such pursuit. She demands we act, and act we have no choice. She must be appeased, or all of Hoenn will have to satiate her hunger. Despite our greatest efforts, The Cycle will continue. The end is nigh."

Burgundy grunted. "Whoever wrote this must've been a real downer. The end of the world…didn't these guys ever hear of optimism?"

Crinkling and shuffling of paper and smaller object echoed around the empty chamber as Amanda rifled through her bag. "Still, I have never heard of whatever these guys called 'The Cycle'. Perhaps there's something in these notes…"

I pondered for a second. Believe you me, I'm no historian and I sure as heck am no archaeologist. It was just that I had heard that term before…The Cycle…

And then it dawned on me. Something that had seemed so cryptic and mysterious, yet trivial at the time. Ditching trivial, if anything it was now more cryptic and mysterious this time around.

"Guys," I said, all of my friends save for Amanda turning to me. "Didn't Celebi say something about a 'Cycle'?"

"It must have been directly to you," said Burgundy, "because I don't remember that. Wes?"

The blonde shook his head. "Can't say I do. But if-"

All of a sudden, I felt a chill down my spine like someone had taken a handful of electrified ice cubes, held them at the top of my spine and let the cold water trickle down. To me it was noticeable, but everyone else was oblivious: the runes on the wall had started to glow faintly.

And Amanda was reaching out her hand slowly to touch one.

"Amanda, no!" I cried, running forward and reaching out a hand. But it was too late. She didn't even have enough time to let out a sound when she was thrust several feet into the air, her body rigid.

She shook and twitched, but it seemed that this strange force was pressing down on her entire body, restricting even the smallest of movements.

Her chin was pointed up and her neck throbbed as if Darth Vader himself were Force-choking her.

And then the shaking started.

A thunderous _BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, _began to echo through the hall. We all looked up and shielded our heads as small rocks began to rain down.

Trying to steady herself and look into the camera at the same time, Gabby said, "Well, folks, i-it seems that these ruins are crumbling down on us. This is Gabby Summers saying-"she dropped her mic and grabbed Ty's shirt, "_GET ME OUT OF HERE!_"

"Zip!" I yelled over the din, scattering like the others. "What in the world is going on!?"

The Magnemite had to quickly dodge a small rock that plummeted from the ceiling before answering. "Maker, I detect electromagnetic waves emanating from these ruins, similar to those in your body. If anything, they are stronger; amplified from the crystals above us."

Burgundy opened her mouth to speak, but jumped back and shrieked as a rock nearly crushed her foot. "What does that mean, you stupid bucket of bolts!?"

"It means that we have reached the Maker's destination."

Hope momentarily stopped me from moving, but I quickly snapped out of it once I realized I'd be crushed if I didn't keep doing so. "Does that mean-?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "Using these electromagnetic waves, I can begin to synthesize a 'Kill Code' for the Regis."

We all let out a whoop of happiness. Wes and I high fived. But before we could celebrate any further, Zip said, "There is another signal I am detecting. From above."

-which was precisely when Regirock chose to break through the ceiling.

…

Juno licked her lips: another easy capture. The big ones were always the slowest and the most willing to give in to the pacifying effects of the Capture Styler.

But Juno wasn't exactly looking to make a new friend today. She angrily strutted to the edge of the railing and faced the creature on the floor below.

"Hey, Iron Giant!" she called, standing up on the railing. "This is my first vacation in three years. _THREE YEARS! _I just reunited with my birthmother for the first time since, wouldn't you know it, my birth! I'm currently enjoying myself, I just found an adorable pair of jeans, I'm going out to a nice restaurant for lunch, and I'm getting a massage later today. So yeah, it seemed pretty great! UNTIL YOU BUSTED THROUGH THE WALL!"

The Top Ranger was left seething on top of the railing whilst Registeel simply turned and began to walk away.

"Hey!" she called, hopping back down off of the railing and to where she would be near it. "I'm not done with you! Once this is all over, Erma is probably gonna flip her wig and ask me to clean up this mess and fill out paperwork! So you know what that means!? VACATION OVER! I-"

For a creature its size, the speed at which it flipped around and hurled a steel girder at her head was quite surprising.

Juno ducked just in time, the steel pillar slamming straight into a poster on the wall of a local politician running for mayor.

"Huh," said Juno, admiring how it had gone straight through his face, "You know, you can express your opinion in lest destructive ways. We _do _have the freedom of speech and press here in Kanto, so-"

"ZTEEEEEEEEEEEL!" it moaned, raising its hands up in the air.

A groan erupted from Juno. "Well, if this is the end of my vacation, I might as well enjoy it. Capture O-…oh…" she looked down at her bare wrist, and flexed her fingers as if it would do any good.

Meanwhile, Registeel was acquiring its target. Through its eyes, everything was red, with yellow blotches forming heat signatures in their respective shapes. But one figure stood out from the rest: Juno.

Making a short beep every second or so, the targeting reticle zoomed in on Juno, and…

"ZTEEEEEEEL!" A yellow ball of energy began forming in front of Registeel's face. Mall-goers on the floor before it panicked and fled, although they knew not that Registeel only had one target.

Just in the nick of time, Juno flopped onto the ground, and the wall behind her was utterly obliterated.

She picked herself up and dusted herself off, turning to the hole the Zap Cannon had made. The energy blast had seared through several walls, leaving wires hanging down from inside, and smoldering metal.

A confused sushi chef from all the way at the end of the new tunnel look at Juno, mouth agape, long fork quivering in his shaking hand. Juno shot him a sheepish grin and a weak wave, before facing down her opponent once more.

_Wait a second, _she thought as she watched the mechanical monstrosity beneath her devise another way to rip her flesh from her bones. _If I fight this thing head on, I'm toast! I need to find cover!_

Juno took not a second more before she took off in the other direction. _At the very least I need to lead it away from the mall…well, at least I'm safe up he-_

Her footing gave way and Juno tripped, sliding on her hip several feet before slamming into a railing.

Once her head stopped spinning, she looked up and slammed her fist on the ground. "Come on!"

Registeel had jumped up onto the higher floor, and was towering above her. It slowly raised a fist as Juno prepared for her next action.

"This is not gonna be a fun afternoon…"

…

"THAT'S IT!" I yelled, slamming my foot on the ground. I've had enough of this guy! Try to slam a temple down on my head; that's okay. Almost throw me into a volcano; I can deal with that. But threaten my friends, my sister, and an innocent town; THAT is where I draw the line.

I drew a Pokéball and began to walk vengefully towards Regirock, who raised its arms as if to greet me.

"ROOOOOAAAAK!" it bellowed. I wasn't the least bit intimidated. Angry eyes fixed on the beast, I kept on with my irate gait, occasionally stepping to the side to avoid a rock.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm glad to see you too," I spat, readying my Pokéball. The distance separating the two of us now could be covered by a beach towel. Yet he hadn't tried to squash me yet. Must've been something in the cave…

I kind of wished we were outside, because if a tumbleweed rolled by, this faceoff would've been complete.

Its dots stayed exactly the same.

I narrowed my eyes.

It raised a foot and slammed it down on the ground.

I cracked my neck and spat to the side.

And then there was a brief air of silence, save for the faint buzzing sound of the magnetic electricity balls bouncing back and forth above us.

And then it started. Regirock raised an arm to crash me, but I lunged to the side just in time, avoiding being flattened by at least five feet. I knew all of his tricks.

"Skipper, let's finish this guy!" I shouted, calling out my Marshtomp.

I skidded to a stop from my sideways run; at this point, Regirock was almost fully turned. It stopped and faced me down again.

"Skipper, listen to me!" I hissed, my anger taking over, "This thing needs to die. Understood?"

"Mawsh!" he growled, shooting a jet of water into the air, and then beating his fists together. He understood.

I nodded. It was kinda bad, at least in my opinion, the way I had just addressed my Pokémon, but it couldn't be helped. I had come to examine artifacts and kick butt, and I was all out of artifacts.

"Skipper, Water Gun!" One way or another, this ended today. I wasn't about to spend my life being chased down by these dastards. Either I died, or they did!

Skipper took in a deep breath, and prepared to launch his mightiest Water Gun yet, when a deafening crack shook the room.

We all looked up at the same time to see a massive rock detach itself from the ceiling. And it was falling towards Amanda, still frozen in stasis.

By the time I realized there was no way I'd be able to reach her in time, it was probably too late. But as you should know by now, I'm more stubborn than that.

"Skipper, you have to-"

"ROOOOOOOAAAK!" As much as I hated to admit it, this guy was good at his job: killing. He took our moment of distraction to raise one of his long arms, and then bring it to bear on Skipper.

The Marshtomp had barely half turned around when the force of a freight train slammed into him, giving him a one way express ticket into a pile of rubble on the far side of the room.

I heard I shriek from Burgundy. The sound he made when he made contact with the rubble…was one I'd probably be hearing echo in my head for a long time. Biting my lip, I tried to figure out what to do next. The feeling in the pit of my stomach didn't give me much resolve…

"Six! Get Garneau!"

I spun around at the sounding of the new voice, and heard a flurry of metallic _CLANKS_ as if someone wearing metal boots was running towards us at twice the average human speed.

That was the case: over Regirock's head leapt a cloaked figure, who did a flip and landed with another loud _CLANK _on one knee, holding themselves up with their right arm.

Before their cloak fell and covered their entire body, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a white metal…fin on their arm. But before I could scrutinize them any closer, they sprung forward again, this jump clearing the alter.

Six intercepted Amanda in the air, hugging her as they landed and skidded to the wall. The rock pierced the ground, and their lives were spared.

Regirock was in the middle of its supercomputer like brain assessing the situation. It didn't take long at all, but the time it took gave the other cloaked figure time enough to react.

Thunder rang out again and again through the ruins, as the second cloaked figure fired his bulky pistol at Regirock continuously. The bolts appeared to do nothing, but they emitted a strange orange pulse when they made contact.

But Regirock had a singular goal in mind: my death. Whether or not those shots truly hurt, it didn't matter. He didn't care.

Regirock raised his arm again. "ROOOOAAAAK!" he proclaimed, his victory at hand. And honestly, it might've been. I had no idea what to do! No more tricks up my sleeve.

The anger that had fueled me was gone. With the shock of what happened to Skipper, I was completely vulnerable. And I didn't want to make any of my Pokémon take the hit.

But one of them certainly hit for me. Regirock swung, but instead of me, it hit a massive rock that had been hurled at it.

And explosion of dust and smaller rocks forced me to stumble back, covering my eyes and mouth.

Coughing, I slowly uncovered my face to see Skipper emerge from the pile of rubble. But he looked different.

His body and appendages had become longer, as well as his head and tailfins. On his forearms and forelegs there were orange sacs of pus. It had a wide grin instead of a welcoming smile.

Normally I would have been astounded by the evolution of one of my Pokémon, but these were dire circumstances. "Cover me!" I cried as I turned tail and ran up the alter. The thundering footsteps of Regirock could be heard from behind me.

I circled the rock and slid to a stop where the first cloaked figure knelt with Amanda unconscious in his arms. She had grown pale, and her breathing was weak.

Before I could speak however, Regirock rounded the corner, arm raised. Ready for more.

I then remember that enough was enough.

Same routine: he brought the arm down, I brought up the weak energy bubble. He brought his arm back up, my arms fell down to my side and I was exhausted.

"Zip!" I cried, trying to catch my breath, "Do you have that code ready?"

It took a moment for him to respond. "Maker, the code has been compiled, but is incomplete."

Regirock attacked again, and I blocked again. I stumbled back, my head spinning. _Is it me or are there three Regirocks? _I snapped out of it.

"Zip, what does 'compiled' mean?" I croaked, moving closer to Amanda and Six so that I could consolidate the shield.

"The Kill Code would work, but it would only be temporary. It would send the Regis into a state of dormancy, but only for a week. Two at the very most. After that, their systems will be able to detect my code, and I will need to start from scratch, a process that would take three weeks at the very least."

Another swing. Another block. My stomach felt like it was imploding in on itself. My head literally rang. I fell onto my knees, muscles crying for mercy.

"Do it, Zip," I moaned.

"But Maker-"

"DO IT!"

My hands rose up, and the bubble shield flickered. And vanished. Regirock raised his arm for one final triumph.

Zip bowed his head. "As you command, Maker."

His magnets began to spin, and holographic green rings appeared around them. Same with the screw atop his head. Finally, his eyes glowed bright emerald, and began to pulse.

Regirock brought its arm down, and I closed my head. The last thing I heard was, "ROOOOoooooaaaakkk…"

I opened my eyes. My last moments of consciousness allowed me to see that Regirock's arm had stopped inches from my face.

…

Juno was getting tired of this thing. Nothing worked: not physical attacks, not attacks from Pokémon she had asked the brief help of, not the oil from the deep fryer she lured it into in that Burger Kingler.

Although it was all but invincible and she knew it, the cocky Top Ranger didn't let her disposition show. Cracking her knuckles, she sneered and panted, "Had…had enough?" She stopped to catch her breath. "I'll try not to break you while I'm kicking you around like a soccer ball…"

"ZTEEEEEL!" Registeel backhanded her into a glass display window, an attack she was too winded at this point to dodge.

Luckily for her, it was the window of a local plush store, and Juno was implanted firmly in between a wall of plushies. But she was stuck nonetheless.

Juno gulped. "Please don't break me while you're kicking me around like a soccer ball…"

Registeel raised a fisted hand, and just as it was about to bring down the hammer…its eyes began to pulse green.

With a metal groan, it slowly fell onto its back, creating a spider web of cracks on the marble floor.

A sigh of relief came from Juno. "Finally…"

She then fell flat on her face. "I'm really gonna need that massage now…"she moaned, lacking the energy to get back up.

* * *

**Regirock has been defeated! For a little while...this guy really doesn't take a hint. I get the feeling he and Addison would get along swimmingly: they both wont stay dead and they both want Will desperately.**

**Anyway, Agent Six and another (presumably Nick) couldn't have arrived sooner, as they bought Will and Zip just enough time to unleash the Kill Code Prototype, sending the Regis into stasis. But how long will this last? And are these agents here to assist, or do they have a more sinister agenda? Find out next time!**

**Falling Skies Season 3 premiered yesterday, and it was AWESOME! Even saying the names of some of the aliens that were revealed is kinda spoilerish, as both were revealed at the very end of past seasons. If you haven't already, you owe it to yourself to watch it!**

**E3 is tomorrow, and that means a ton of new gaming news. Namely, we've been promised a ton of info on Gen 6, so I can't wait to see what get's revealed next!**

**Reader Question: Who is your favorite fictional villain of all time? I have so many that I love...ugh, it's so hard to choose! There's classic ones like Darth Vader, comic ones like GLADoS, plain bardarse ones like Saren from Mass Effect and The Didact from Halo...I'll have to go with Darth Vader on this one! He's just so awesome! Other villains pale in comparison to the Dark Lord of the Sith! Tell the Pokemon Ranger villains to face down Darth Vader! To what degree would they wet their pants!?**

**Star Wars does have a great host of baddies, especially in the EU. I do have a lot to choose from, like Naga Sadow and Darth Malgus...meh, Ima just go with Vader. Though if you pick Grand Admiral Thrawn I will never ever do a Reader Question ever again...JK, your opinion. I just hate his concept so much...ugh. Another rant for another time, kids!**

**Juno: He never does shut up about his nerd stuff, does he?**

**TrainerNaps: You know, you still haven't met Regice...**

**Juno: *rolls eyes* Review...**


	57. Chapter 57: The Hand

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Juno had her bout with Registeel as will fought Round Four with Regirock. And this time, there was no swarm of Trapinch, falling temple, volcano, or Articuno to help him. Collateral damage from their battle threatened Amanda, who was still trapped in some sort of mysterious stasis. At the last moment however, she was rescued by two mysterious cloaked figures from being crushed by a rock. This momentary distraction was bad for Will though, as Skipper was harshly removed from the fight by Regirock. As will retreated to Amanda's position, Skipper emerged, fully evolved into a Swampert and ready to fight Regirock. But Will found that neither his nor Skipper's new-found powers were enough, and it was only by the premature usage of Zip's incomplete Kill Code that Regirock and Registeel were stopped. But for how long? What will happen in the aftermath of the battle? Find out now!**

* * *

I could physically feel my head throbbing as I groaned and rolled over. Looking down I noticed that the floor was pitch black. At least I wasn't in the ruins anymore.

Or was I? I sighed with discontent as I turned around. I was most certainly in the Dreamscape, as midnight black blanketed everything around me.

"Okay!" I called out into the void, "Who is it this time? Greyson? Iram? A-"

"Aria," she agreed at the same time that I said it, striding up to me. She had a content grin on her face, and walked with her usual "In Control" swagger.

I crossed my arms as she made her way towards me, "Well, if it isn't my favorite tumor. How's death treatin' ya?"

Pretending to be uninterested, she held her hand in front of her face and examined her nails. "Pretty good, actually. Got a nice batch of thralls, about to achieve world domination, it's all good on this end. You?"

"I'm not dead yet," I said in that nervous fashion you get when you're correcting someone, but are the slightest bit suspicious that you might be wrong.

She milked my worries. "How do you know that? This could be death." She gestured around the entire space. "I could be your escourt to eternal life." A wolf-like grin spread across her face and her eyes blazed, "Or Hell."

I rolled my eyes. "Cut the garbage, Aria," I commanded. She was taken back momentarily by the unusual amount of force in my voice. "What do you want?"

"O-kay, I'll get to the point!" she said flippantly, before grumbling, "Not like you're in a hurry or anything…"

Aria cleared her throat and waved her hand. Before me appeared three holograms. I recognized one as a perfect likeness of Regirock. The other two, however, I did not.

I reached a curious hand to poke the image. It flickered, and I was rewarded with a smack from Aria on the hand. Actual pain stung my wrist as I recalled it.

Aria "tsk tsk tsk"d. "You kids. Is that really your initial reaction to anything new you find? You, Amanda-"

Something finally struck me. An image of Amanda dangling in midair, looking as if she were being internally tortured flashed back.

"You did that to her!" I accused. Aria put on an innocent face.

"On my honor," she said, putting her left hand on her heart and raising her right, "I can say that I did _not _torture your friend. Although I really want to." She snorted. "Nosey little brat…"

I tried my best to ignore that last remark, although I grumbled, "Humph. You can't swear on something you don't have…"

Once again her innocent little girl façade returned. She prodded her chin with her index finger and let her lip quiver. "Here I am trying to make a generous off out of the goodness of my heart-"

"Again, something you lack…"

She made a rude gesture. "-and can't even be taken seriously! Children of this generation!" She shook her head and began to pace around me in a circle.

I almost felt like I was getting ready to fight. My shoulders tightened and my fists clenched. "So, you gonna pitch your offer, or do I have to kick your ghostly butt out of my head again?"

Aria scoffed at me. "Adorable," she said, dismissing my qualms with a wave of her hand. "You think you really have a say in the matter."

"What is that supposed to mean!?" I demanded angrily.

"Oh, you'll find out. Anyway, the offer…"

Rolling my eyes I asked, "Is?"

She stopped and looked me in the eyes. For the first time in…ever, those electric blues were regarding me as an equal, worthy to share a glance with them. Her lips curled into a sinister grin. "Power."

I relaxed a bit. Not out of content, but confusion. "Power?"

Aria was offering me something. There had to be a catch: there always was with her. And to add it all up, this offer was power. She was working at an angle, that was for certain.

"Yes, power. The power to be _invincible_. That potential you have?" She held her hand out in front of her face and snapped it shut into a fist, her evil grin infecting her whole face. "No one would be able to stop you. You could crush your enemies. Free yourself from this unfortunate destiny of yours. No one, not Team Plasma, not the Rangers, not even _Arceus_ could stop you."

I tried to choke out a response, but all that came out of my throat was a choked gurgle. I didn't know what to say.

And don't think I was struggling with the answer. Of course I was gonna say no! It was just…I had no idea how to react.

Unlimited power? Was that the potential that lay dormant within me.

Before I could speak though, Aria held up her hand, her middle finger touching her thumb. "Think about it," she cooed, and then snapped. Everything turned white.

…

I sat up, gasping. Sweat glistened on my arms, and I could feel in on my face, chilling me due to the warmer temperature. My headache had faded to a dull throb.

Looking down I could see that someone had laid me down on sleeping bag, and I was under the covers. Sadly, my first thought was not, "Where am I?" or even, "Where are my friends and Pokémon?"

Instead it was, "Oh my Arceus, did these people see me _naked!?_"

No, I quickly realized, and sighed. I was wearing my usual black T-Shirt. Throwing off the covers revealed that I was still wearing my jeans. I glanced off to the right. My jacket had been neatly folded, and my hat and backpack rested on top. My shoes were also next to it, and my socks were in them.

I sat in a small oak wood room. There was nothing in here save for me, my stuff, and a small chair up against the wall to my right, next to a nightstand with a lamp on top. A window hung on the wall to my left

The steady patter of heavy rainfall boomed outside, with the occasional roar of thunder. Shadows would flicker up against the wall every so often with a lightning strike out in the desert.

_The desert…_so Burgundy was right. Whatever we had done to that electromagnetic current in the ruins fixed the Baltoy, and it was now raining in Dune.

It was now a truly important question resurfaced. I nearly shot out of the sleeping bag. _Regirock!_

Zip's exact words played back in my head, "_The Kill Code would work, but it would only be temporary. It would send the Regis into a state of dormancy, but only for a week. Two at the very most."_

How long have I been out? Are the Regis once again walking the Earth, hunting me and destroying everything in their path?

_No, _I thought to myself. _That couldn't be. If the Regis were up and at em, I'd be dead…_

Apparently the noise generated by me getting up summoned the other sin the household, and the door burst open. It was Burgundy who had opened it, and then proceeded to bow her head and sigh as she came in, followed by Wes, Emile, Ty, Gabby, and Mayor Judy.

"_Mon dieu_, Will!" she scolded, stopping just a few inches short of me. I could virtually see a bolt of lightning crossed between her eyes anime-style as steam rose up from her head. "Do you have any idea how scared you had us!?"

I chuckled meekly and scratched the back of my head, sweatdropping. "Shouldn't you be used to this stuff by now…"

"That does not excuse the wanton taking of risks!" she retorted. I prodded the air with my index finger.

"Now wait just a second!" was the beginning of my comeback, before Wes simply shook his head and laughed.

"Will, buddy, just give up already," he chortled, "She's a girl, dude. You can't win an argument with a girl!"

Burgundy grunted and put her hands on her hips. "For once something intelligent leaves those lips of yours, Wesley."

He grinned and nodded. "Why thank-" his head quickly shook and he confusedly burst out, "Hey, wait a sec-"

He remembered the point that he had just supported by looking at Burgundy, who wore a sly smirk and was tapping her foot. _Just take the compliment, _he thought, mumbling and turning around.

Mayor Judy approached looking extremely relieved. She reached out a wrinkled old hand, which I firmly shook. "Young man, you've done a great thing for this town," she said gratefully, and added, "and for that we will be forever grateful. I'd give you the key to the city but-"

She stopped and giggled. "-but we aren't a city and we don't have enough money to build a key that big."

I laughed a bit as well. "How long have I been out?"

Judy's eyes rose as she thought to herself. "Let's see…today is Wednesday, so…two days."

I scratched my chin and looked down. "Two days," I mumbled to myself, "Why's it always gotta be two days…?"

I quickly snapped back to reality when Burgundy nosily cleared her throat. "Uh, Will? Aren't you worried about your Pokémon?"

"Uh y-yeah!" I said trying to save prestige. "H-how are my-"

"They're fine," she returned dryly. "Judy gave them all something to eat, and they're resting in the other room. Although Skipper prefers to stay outside in the rain…"

My mind quickly flashed back to Skipper's new form. I'd have to get Dex on that ASAP.

Thinking of Dex brought me to think of Zip. I inquired of his wellbeing.

Emile was the one who answered me. "He was going on about some 'Kill Code.' Said he'd need to devote all of his resources to it, and requested that he be sent back into his Pokéball."

"Which I was very willing to comply with," interrupted Burgundy.

Emile chuckled, at Burgundy's remark as well as the memory he was currently experiencing. "Son of a gun would only accept being recalled by you. Had to sneak up on him."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he kinda worships me…so, that about cover it?"

"Well," said Judy, "There is your friend Amanda…"

I facepalmed. I had forgotten Amanda! Even after her mention in that encounter with Aria I had just had (which was right now the freshest thing in my mind) I had still forgotten her!

Almost making a break for the door, I stopped and realized I hadn't the slightest idea where she was. I sheepishly asked, "Uh, where would I-"

"Down the hall, third door on the left," said Burgundy sardonically waving a finger at the door. I nodded with thanks.

"She is currently with her sister," added Judy.

My urgency was multiplied. According to Amanda, she had no sister. And according to Roark, a mysterious woman claiming to be her sister had been snooping around the dig site.

Ripping the door open, I tore down the hallway as fast as I could.

Behind me a conversation still went one. Burgundy sighed and shook her head. "He's such a kid sometimes…"

This caused Wes to bite his lip and scratch his chin. "You sound like someone I know…"

As per Burgundy's directions, I passed one door, then another, and finally skidded to a stop, my bare feet sliding a few inches on the polished wood floor. I grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open.

Instantly, the cloaked figure sitting in the hair beside Amanda's bed was on his feet, pistol leveled at my chest. His thumb flicked a switch on the side, and it began to buzz.

Stopped in my tracks I had nothing else to do but admire the rest of my surroundings. This room was similar to the one I had been in, except smaller and darker, since there was no window and only a candle on the bedside table to provide light.

In a small bed was Amanda. Color had returned to her face, and she appeared to be resting peacefully. At least one of us could…

Said pistoleer was standing perfectly in the candle's bubble of light so that the features once hidden by the shadow cast by his hood were now visible.

He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with features that most girls would probably consider "handsome." Not as handsome as this dashing young Trainer though…

Erm, yeah. The guy. He had fair white skin, with brown eyes and black hair that stopped at his eyebrows. His complexion was completely free of blemishes and other imperfections, save for a blotch of a burn scar covering most of his right cheek.

He wasn't a "pretty boy" despite the "handsome" description. His face read determination, dedication, and the will to get the job done. Whatever that was.

Right now, it was scrutinizing me, deciding what exactly to make of my intrusion. "Yeesh Nick, put the gun away!" came a chiding female voice from behind me. "You whip that thing out whenever you hear a noise, for Arceus sake!"

I flipped around and felt two hands gently grip the fronts of my shoulders. It was another cloaked figure who had detached herself from the shadows behind me. Unlike Nick, the candlelight did not allow me to study her features.

"I'm sorry for my partner," she said apologetically, "He's a bit…touchy."

"Bah!" he said, holstering his pistol and sitting back down, resting his right leg on his left and leaning back. "About that 'noise' remark; aren't we supposed to be stealthy at all times? Wouldn't that make noise bad?"

While Nick might not have been, I was confused. I looked back and forth from Nick and the shadowy woman. She was the only female in the room, so she must've been the one who called herself Amanda's "sister."

I fixed my stare on the woman. "Who _are_ you guys?"

"I do suppose explanations are in order," she said politely, craning her neck so that she could see Nick. "Nick, would you like to go first?"

He nodded. "Certainly. My name is Nick Maren. I'm the best shot this side of the Sevii Islands."

Suddenly, I was brought back to Cinnabar Island. When I had first met Mewtwo, the clone had opened with, _"Come back to gloat, Maren? I doubt you could achieve a miracle shot like that again."_

Considering these guys had info that I kinda wanted, I decided not to push the envelope on asking too many questions.

Nick nodded his head towards Amanda's bed. In the corner of the room, wrapped in shadows I could distinctly make out the shape of another cloaked figure leaning up against the wall.

"That's Six," clarified Nick. "He doesn't say much. Actually, he doesn't say really say anything at all. Isn't that right, Six?"

Six responded with a low growl, and remained silent even though Nick and the lady stared at him for a good ten more seconds as if expecting something more.

_Perhaps he's not even human_, I thought, remembering the metallic look of his long fingers, and the iron fin on his wrist.

Either way the woman finally introduced herself. "And I am the Duchess of Deception, the Empress of Espionage, the Sovereign of Stealth-" she took a breath as if to finish her sentence, and simply paused.

I raised an eyebrow. "And your name is…?"

She waved her hand at me. "You can just call me what everyone else calls me."

"Which is!?" I asked, a little irritated.

"Lady," she responded simply, leaning back up against the door. "As in, 'Hey, lady, stop!' or 'Please lady, please don't kill me, I promise I won't talk!'."

Lady paused for effect and smiled satisfactory as if reliving a good memory. I wanted desperately to back away, but that would just lead me closer to more of these guys…

I moved to the side a bit so that I could address them all. My line of sight now directly faced the light, although somehow Lady's face was sill obscured by shadows.

"Okay, so I know who you are," I said skeptically, my eyes darting from one of them to the next, "But who _are _you? Why are you here?"

Nick put his leg down and sat forward in the chair, arms on his knees. "We're The Silph Man's Hand. His elites; he needs something done, he calls us first."

"Think of us at The Man's answer for Plasma Advance," Lady chimed in. In the corner, Six growled as if the mention of Team Plasma invoked a bad memory.

Mentioning that they served The Silph Man didn't actually put me at ease…if anything, I wanted to be even more on guard now. The title "Silph Man's elites" added a yet another layer of mystery…and mistrust to their beings.

"That still doesn't answer why you're here," I said irately. These guys promised me answers, and I didn't think it rude to demand them.

"The Man has an offer for Mandy here," said Nick, looking over to my friend's sleeping figure. "Not only that, but your buddies over at Team Plasma-"

"They aren't my friends!" I interjected angrily. Nick raised his hands, palms facing me, faking surrender. He continued.

"Anyway, they don't want her to," he twirled his fingers in a circle as he tried to pick the right words, "You know, live."

Lady too a few steps towards me, but seeing as I flinched and moved back when she did, she stopped. "We're going to protect her with our lives, Will," she said softly and caringly. "You have our word."

I threw my hands up in the air. "How am I supposed to know what your word is worth!? You yourself said you were the Queen of Deception or something!"

She nodded. "I did, but there's an old saying that explains my situation. Well, not really that old, but it goes like this: "The Silph Man gets what The Silph Man Wants." I don't expect you to have heard it, but I think it correctly illustrates my disposition."

While I was contemplating what she had just said, she spoke again. "There's another one, too. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' I'm sure you've heard that one."

"True," I said contemptuously, crossing my arms, "But right now, all I know is that you both are enemies. What I don't know is which one of you I should hate."

"Come on, Will," said Nick, this time not so generously. "If you don't know who you should be watching out for by now, I think you should really sit down and do some thinking."

I clenched my fist and sucked in an angry breath, but before I could speak, I heard the sound of shoes clomping on the wooden floors outside, and the faint sound of conversation.

Lady jerked her head towards the door. "Go. Talk to your friends. You can trust us. We swear."

Although I had no inclination or desire or intention to trust them, I couldn't let all of my companions just walk in on a secret conversation with people they didn't even know existed. Now _that _would be awkward.

"Fine," I hissed as I made my way to the door. "But if anything happens to Amanda, I swear you'll regret it."

Nick huffed. "I'm sure we will. Now go, Plasma Boy."

The desire to spin on my heels and bash his face in when he made that remark was superseded by the urgency to distract my friends, who were now just stopping outside the door.

"How is she?" asked Judy as I closed the door behind me. "Have her sister and her friends settled in nicely."

"Her sis-?" Lady's cover identity quickly resurfaced in my brain. "Oh, yeah, they're fine. Amanda looks better too."

"That's a relief," said Judy. "And speaking of fine, while you were gone I put you Egg in one of our warm sand baths. It's out now," she motioned to the pouring rain, "but I do believe that the heat did some good. Strange noises are coming from the inside. I think it will hatch soon!"

"That's great!" I said excitedly. I couldn't wait to see what kind of Pokémon came out of that Egg. I've raised a bunch by now, but a chance to raise one from a baby would be a true experience that defined what kind of Trainer I was.

Raising it from birth would mean I pretty much affect its entire personality. I hope I'm a good role model for whatever type of species it is…I hope it doesn't need to learn how to fly, too.

Gabby approached me, and beamed once she did. "Will, I'd like to thank you for helping us get that story. You've saved our careers!"

"A-anytime," I said a bit awkwardly, recalling that they had fallen almost literally on top of our expedition, and pretty much barged in. But I was still glad to help.

The reporter motioned to Ty, who jolted once he realized it was him she was pointing to. He hefted the camera out in front of him so that it was facing down, and began to press buttons.

Gabby cleared her throat (seriously, how often does she do that!?) and announced, "And now, for the fruits of our labor!" Her eyes were closed as she radiated pride and stood firm. "Ty, roll the clip!"

Ty pressed a button, and Gabby held her pose. Sound began to come out, and we all huddled in to get a look.

Burgundy was the first to speak up. "Uh, is there not supposed to be any picture…?"

One of Gabby's eyes poked open. "What was that?" she asked, her voice fluttering with bliss.

Ty flipped the camera over and examined a few parts. Finally, he came to the large square part where the lens was, and gulped. With a pop, he removed a square piece of black leather. "It seems I left the lens cap on…"

Still smiling, Gabby briskly walked over to the wall. She paused for a moment, slammed her head down on the wood. She let out a wail.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! I'M GONNA HAVE TO WORK AS A WAITRESS FOR THE REST OF MY LIIIIIIIIIIIFE!"

Ty tried to save it. Props to that guy. "M-maybe we could send it in as found footage! Say that it was lost in the temple and we discovered it!"

The two argued like a married couple while we awkwardly spectated Ty's losing battle. In the middle of it all, Wes's phone began to vibrate.

His face lit up when he read whatever was on the screen. "Guys, my mom is coming to Hoenn!"

"No kidding?" I said, "Where to? Maybe we could stop by."

"Verdanturf Town," he answered eagerly, "But she's only going to be there for a few days. Apparently, she has big news and wants to tell me in person."

Emile took out his Styler and fiddled with a map. "Says here it's right in between Mauville and Rustboro." He looked back up at me. "Will, weren't you thinking of challenging the Petalburg City Gym next?"

"Yup," I said, "I think my team is up for the challenge. I heard it's a pretty big jump in difficult from the other four I've faced so far."

"_Magnifique!_" Burgundy declared, raising a hand into the air lavishly. "A family reunion; a chance to revisit old familiar sensations!"

I scoffed. "Is this more of your connaisseuse mumbo-jumbo?"

She stomped her foot and hunched her shoulders, and hands balling into fists. "What was that!?"

"N-nothing!"

* * *

**Who would win in a fight between Tinkerbell and Shenron? According to Nintendo, Tinkerbell!**

**That's right kids, it has been revealed that an eighteenth type will be added to Pocket Monsters in Gen 6, it's name: Fairy. This has put to rest several rumors of new types, and confirming Sylveon's type as well. Not only that, but several Pokemon including Gardevoir, Jigglypuff, and Marill are gaining Fairy Sub-Types. The last thing we know about Fairy is that it will be super-effective against Dragon. Not much else is known.**

**My thoughts: I think so far the new Type has been implemented well. Not flawlessly, but well. I am quite satisfied with how they did it. I'm kinda glad that it's strong to Dragon, as I think Dragon needs to be taken down a few notches to balance things out. Not complaining, I just think if it should've been anything, it should've been Dragon. I like that Gardevoir gets a Fairy Sub-Type: I'm predicting that it'll become much more used in competitive battling now, and I'm a fan of Gardevoir.**

**As for my theorize, I theorize that it will be weak to Dark, and more Pokemon who will be made Fairy Types shall include the rest of Marrill, Jigglypuff, and Gardevoir's line (kinda obvious, but they haven't been announced). Also Togepi (possibly changing its evolutions' Normal Type to Fairy) the Chansey line, Dunsparce (because of the puffy little wings) and Clefairy's line (I mean, it's the ****_Fairy _****Pokemon. Nintendo, if you don't make it a Fairy-Type, you really need to rethink some things!)**

**And for all you negative Genwunners (or self proclaimed Genwunners as a real one would know this) who are all "Oh, the old Pokemon was better cuz they kept the dynamic the same and never really changed anything. That's why Red and Blue are the best and the new ones are garbage."**

**Yeah, Steel and Dark Types were released in Gen 2. Get at me.**

**Close-minded Genwunner: "W-well at least they never changed Types back the-"**

**Magnemite was updated with a Steel Sub-Type. You may sit down now. Sorry, can't stand most people like that.**

**Anyway, a bunch of new Pokemon revealed! By the looks of it more are being unveiled each day, so covering all the current ones would be kinda dated (plus there are quite a few now). So go check em out!**

**And with the coming of a new generation, some of you may be thinking (I doubt any of you are thinking this) "Naps, what are you gonna do about Plasma Saga!?" **

**I have no intention of extending the main storyling to incorporate the Kalos region, but some day I will visit there, whether it be Will or someone else (not the hero. I kinda have a policy of not being the games' protagonist).**

**But I will be incorporating a reason for no one knowing about the Kalos region is PS. It wont be a cop-out (I hope) and will have to do with the lore, so stay tuned!**

**I've also decided to include one of my new favorite characters from the anime (not an actual new character, but one I've grown attached to recently). Remember that writer's block funk I fell into a while back. Well, now that I made plans for them, plus something fun n Verdanturf, I'm motivated to write more now! I can't wait to use her-I mean them! Darn it, kinda spoiled a little...**

**Erm, anyway, the REAL Reader Question (The one up there was rhetorical). I had one ready for this chapter, but it can wait. Now, I wanna hear your opinions on the Fairy-Type. What are your comments/concerns, likes/dislikes. What Pokemon do you think will gain Fairy Sub-Types. Anything an everything that comes to mind!**

**Phew, we sure covered a lot here. Take it away, Ty!**

**Ty: Review, and maybe I'll get my job back! And maybe Gabby won't kill me...**


	58. Chapter 58: An Egg-celent Announcement

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will had another cryptic conversation with Aria where she claimed to only want to give him "power." Obviously refusing, Will wakes up to find that he is okay, and it is finally raining in Dune. After hearing that she is alone with her "sister," Will rushes to Amanda's bedside to find The Silph Man's Hand, and elite group of spec-ops in service to The Man himself, featuring ex-detective Nick Maren, mysterious warrior Agent Six, and even more mysterious spy known only as "Lady." It takes a while, but they finally managed to convince Will that they mean Amanda no harm, and it is in the best interest of their boss to keep her safe. Will relents and rejoins his friends. After Gabby and Ty find that their new story hadn't even been recorded, Wes receives news that his mother will be in Verdanturf Town with an important announcement. What will it be? Find out now!**

* * *

If you think you've felt true freedom by just being alone in a wide open space; being able to run and jump unobstructed, then you're dead wrong. You've obviously yet to fly.

The feeling of complete empty space, literally nothing to tell you no, is possibly the greatest feeling in the world. Wind against your face, sun shining down on you.

Sitting on hard metal surface: not so much.

Usually our main mode of transport would be to walk, enjoying the journey, taking it all in. Maximizing our time together in our current setting. But the news of Wes's mother being in Verdanturf Town for only a few days was too good an opportunity to pass up, and so we flew.

We had made plans ahead of time with Gabby and Ty to get their story. They'd meet us back in Petalburg City to cover my Gym Battle (which is apparently a semi-big deal to people back in Kanto).

What's more, I asked Gabby about what she meant when she said the "new Pokémon" story had been covered, and she explained.

Apparently, claims of not only new Pokémon, but a new region have surfaced. That could only mean one thing: wherever this place is, that means it's people (or Pokémon) made contact with us.

In the year 1738, Hoennese sailors encountered mysterious ships on an expedition far beyond known territory. These ships allegedly turned and fled immediately, and were pursued by the curious Hoennese.

They followed the ships for days, and eventually made their way to The Veil, which is essentially a giant blind spot on the world: and ever-present thick sheet of fog, which for hundreds of years served as the boundary of the known world.

The sailors got antsy and didn't want to go on. But the indomitable curiosity of the human spirit eventually won out, and they followed the mysterious ships through The Veil.

What they found was a massive armada of ships on the other side. The original Ranger Union navy.

For hundreds if not thousands of years, the three member states of the Ranger Union had no contact with the outside world, and existed by themselves for all that time. Yet they were paranoid that something was lurking out beyond The Veil to swoop in and snuff out their utopian society.

The expedition by the sailors who were in turn followed by the Hoennese had been their first ever expedition beyond The Veil. Paranoia took control before logic could, and the Unionites all but confirmed the horror stories of evil forces living beyond The Veil. And then they took action.

The Hoennese explorer fleet was horribly, if not laughably, outmatched. Two of the three ships were destroyed almost immediately, but one, the _Sharpedo's Bluff_, managed to escape, turning back to warn the outside world of the onslaught they had suffered on their peace mission.

On one of the destroyed ships however, the Unionites found a map of the outside world, and mobilized their fleet to take preemptive action against those who "threatened" them.

And so, the First Contact War began.

One fleet went to a relatively unprepared Sevii Islands. Another followed the _Sharpedo's Bluff _to Sinnoh, where the crippled ship had set out to dock and be repaired. More scattered around the world to take down other regions, but the main body had gone to Hoenn, and was surprised to find out that the nation itself had a strong navy, and the uninformed invaders were thrashed.

It was a long, bloody, and overall pointless conflict. In the end though, a standing international law called the No Contact Mandate was passed, baring all exploration past known boundaries. If any new lands wanted to be discovered, they'd have to make it so themselves.

Even so, the allure of a new land and new Pokémon was too great to pass up. I'd have to check it out later…

Back to the trip now. Walking would have taken about three days, give or take weather delays, battles, wild Pokémon, or any random misadventure, the likes of which we seem to be attracted to.

Or are attracted to us.

But flying would only take us a few hours, and we were making very good time. Burgundy and I rode on Grimlock; the Skarmory didn't like being a taxi, and we didn't like this particular taxi (we would've preferred one with softer seats).

But, you've gotta work with what you've got. We had to toughen up and ride a bareback metal bird, and it seemed the Grimlock respected me enough to at least begrudgingly accept my commands.

Emile had used his Styler to befriend (or whatever the term Rangers use) a Fearow we found in the desert around Dune, and he and Wes rode on that.

As time progressed on, a noticed something in Grimlock's flight patterns. His blade like wings were no longer slicing through the air; they had come together to form a more wing-like shape, and was gliding to conserve energy.

But that change had occurred a long time ago, and wasn't the problem in fact. I noticed an ever so slight dip in Grimlock's right wing, which he would be quick to correct.

I leaned forward so that I could see the side of his face. "Hey buddy, you tired?"

He let out a metallic hiss._ As if. I could outfly Arceus and all of his angles and still have energy to do three Pokéringer tournaments!_

While I couldn't understand his Pokémon speech, I could feel the stubborn pride emanating from him. I patted the side of his head. "We can land and catch a little rest if you want. We've been flying for almost five hours now."

I looked down and surveyed the terrain. Not too far ahead of us, elevated a bit on hillsides, between a small mountain and the forest were the rooftops of Verdanturf.

"In fact, we could probably walk the rest of the way if you wanna land."

I heard a groan from behind me. I looked over my shoulder at Burgundy, who was clutching the Pokémon Egg Flannery had gave me.

My best guess was that she was about to complain _again _about her sore legs from riding for so long.

"Will," she said, "I think we should land too."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Yeah, it'd give us a good opportunity to stretch and-"

"No!" she said urgently, holding up the Egg. It was wobbling. "We should _really _land!"

…

Grimlock landed with a loud _CLANK! _I immediately slid off and ran to the back, helping Burgundy off of his back. As soon as the tuckered Connaisseuse was off, Grimlock made his way to the small lake nearby, helping himself no enormous gulps of water.

Burgundy moaned as she rubbed her soar behind. "_La douleur_…I'm never flying coach again!"

Her whining was interrupted by another sudden shake of the Egg. I grabbed it out of her hands and whipped off my jacket, wrapping it around the Egg.

"W-what are you doing?" asked Burgundy as I began making my way to the tree line. I dropped to my knees and placed the bundled up Egg near the base of the tree.

"I did some reading about how you're supposed to treat a newborn Pokémon," I said as I worked to make sure it was properly bundled. "We won't know how to truly care for it until we know what it is, but there are things you should do before it hatches. Like make sure it's not in direct sunlight, but also keep in warm."

Burgundy grunted. "Shame we don't know yet." She then added with a grin, "I guess I'll have to hold back my Evalutation until we do!"

I turned to her, a look of genuine concern on my face. "You sure that's the first impression you wanna leave?"

She crossed her arms. "Hmph!"

Emile and Wes, on the back of the Fearow, touched down. "What's up?" cried Emile as he and Wes hopped off.

"The Egg is-" I stopped and looked back down when I felt a warm glow on my face, "-hatching!"

The ovular shape of the egg began to glow, and from there it shifted. It grew a bit taller, and almost hourglass shaped. Two arms and two legs took shape, as well as a small neck and atop it, a head. From there two strands…horns, maybe?

I took out and readied Dex, just as the light faded. Looking up at me was a yellow, feminine looking Pokémon. It had amber eyes, and a sweet little smile.

"Awwwwwww!" Burgundy cooed. "She's so cute! How could such a-"

_THUD!_

The noise had come from behind the baby Pokémon. Burgundy poked her head around, and shrieked, covering her mouth with her right fist and pointing with her free fingers.

I shot to my feet. "What is it!? What's wrong?"

I looked around as well, and was almost equally shocked by the enormous jaw attached to this creature's head. I activated Dex.

_Mawile_

_The Deceiver Pokémon_

_Attached to its head is a huge set of jaws formed by horns. It can chew through iron beams._

Burgundy swallowed hard. "I th-think it had some sort of birth defect…"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "She's perfectly fine. All these pictures show Mawile with these head-jaws, and all the data mentions it."

"Woyl?" she sang softly, tilting her head to the side. I knelt down and patted her on the head.

"I'm Will, your Trainer. Nice to meet you!"

She grabbed onto the two flaps on her head and pulled them down beneath her chin adorably. I couldn't help but smile. I picked her up from the waist and plopped her on my knee.

"I guess I'm gonna have to name you, aren't I?" She nodded, though I doubted she had any idea what I was saying.

Wes and Emile had now joined us, and were now looking over my shoulder at the new addition to my team. "How about something cool!" suggested Wes, clenching his fists, "Like Lockjaw, or Crushatron, or-"

Burgundy put her hands on her hips and scowled. "Wes, those are no names for a lady!" She studied Mawile again and said shakily, "Even one with…a giant jaw…on her head…"

Scrutinizing her a bit more myself, I said, "Why not Pandora? You know, she's pretty at first glance, but has a nasty surprise waiting for you!"

Emile shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

It would be wrong to name her without her consent, so I asked her opinion next. "Mawile maw!" she cheered, her head-jaw flipping up and snapping the air.

Even though it was nowhere near her, Burgundy leapt back and shrieked. I grinned and looked at Mawile, who sent an equally evil grin back. We were gonna have a lot of fun together…

"So you like that name, huh?" I asked, grabbing her about the waist again and bouncing her up and down and inadvertently switching to baby talk. "Does my little Deceiver like her name? Yes she does! Yes she does!"

The both of us laughed together for a few moments, while the rest of my friends watched me in awkward silence.

I stopped abruptly, and gently placed Pandora down. Reaching for my belt, I pulled off all of my Pokéballs and tossed them into the air. "Come on out, everybody!"

There was a bright flash as all six of my Pokémon, save for Zip, were sent out. I stood up and moved to the side so that they could all see Pandora.

I motioned down to her. "Guys, this is Pandora. She's the new addition to our team. So 'Hello' everyone!"

They all let out their separate methods of greeting. Pandora happily surveyed the Pokémon before her, and then her gaze met CJ. Being watched awkwardly by the newborn, CJ managed an awkward wave.

Unknown to me, Pandora responded by flashing her a toothy grin, and narrowing her eyes evilly. CJ stopped waving, and looked back confused.

Pandora all of a sudden burst out crying. I cut short the conversation I was having with my other Pokémon, and immediately bent over to pick her up.

"There, there," I said to the wailing Mawile, "What's wrong? Are you hungry?" She stopped crying and sniffled, making an "M-hm," sound.

As I turned to Wes to ask for some Pokémon food, Pandora looked back to CJ and stuck out her tongue. She then went back to cuddling up against me.

CJ fumed and ground her teeth together. _Is this little brat seriously trying to compete for attention with Will? _She scoffed and crossed her arms confidently. _How immature. In any case, there's not even a chance that-_

"Here you are," I said, offering Pandora a sliced Oran Berry. She took it, and studied it causiously. She the popped it into her mouth and began chewing happily.

I smiled and scratched her head. "That's my special little girl!"

CJ gasped and her bravado dropped, as did her shoulders. _B-but…I thought I was…_

"You know," said Wes, taking out some more food from his bag, "Why not just stop for lunch here? I mean, we're close enough to Verdanturf that an hour or to relaxing won't be a major problem for time purposes, so why not?"

Burgundy shrugged and stretched her arms. "I could use some food."

"Plus it would give the rest of our Pokémon a chance to get acquainted with Pandora," said Emile. Wes and Burgundy nodded in agreement, taking out their own Pokéballs.

"Togepi, Skitty, Aipom, Plusle, Minun, _allons-y_!" shouted Burgundy, sending her own Pokéballs up into the air.

"Swinub, Grovyle, Slakoth, Aron, you guys too!" said Wes, sending his team out.

In time, all of our Pokémon had assembled to meet the new member of the family, extending their kind greeting to her. CJ stood the farthest away, pouting.

She bit her lip as she watched the friends she had fought and lived alongside for several weeks now have fun with the new baby. _Will's gonna notice me pouting, _she thought to herself, _But if I show my maturity by greeting her…then Will'l recognize it and praise me!_

Taking a deep breath, CJ's arms went straight to her sides and she stood stiff, and disappeared.

Over at the social gathering, Togepi was chirping happily to Pandora, just as CJ appeared right in between them, surprising Togepi and making her fall on her rounded back.

_I'm sorry for how I acted before, _CJ said nobly, extending her hand, _But I think we can both put aside our differences to become-_

Pandora blinked, and in a flash of black and silver, her head-jaws flipped around and chomped down of CJ's hand.

The Kirlia shrieked and pulled it back, falling onto the ground. I flipped around from where I had been setting up lunch and came running.

"Kirlia, kirl Kirlia!" shouted CJ as she got to her feet, her arms crackling with electricity. _Why you incesitive little brat!_

She raised her arms for a Shockwave, just as she witness the ghost of a grin reappear on Pandora's face, who then began shaking in fear.

"CJ, enough!" I commanded, picking up Pandora and turning so that my body would act as a shield. "She didn't know any better; she's just a baby!"

CJ's expression softened as she drooped. "Kirl…" _B-but…_

I sighed as I took out CJ's Pokéball. "Listen, you've got that 'New Baby in the House' syndrome, and I get that. But if you can't learn to tolerate Pandora, then maybe you should spend a little time in your Pokéball to think about it, okay?"

CJ sighed as the red beam enveloped her. The last thing she saw before it took her in was Pandora, pulling down her eyelid and sticking her tongue out anime-style.

I held Pandora out in front of me. "Okay Pannie, you ready for-"

"Mommy, mommy, c'mon!" I heard a tiny voice cry from behind me. I turned to see a black haired little girl of about seven skip into the clearing, followed by a tall black haired man, holding the hand of a shorter brown-haired woman with glasses.

Wes gasped. "M-mom?"

Her smile brightened as she saw Wes from across the small pond. "Wesley!" She let go of the man's hand and jogged to him. Wes jumped up from the picnic blanket to meet her.

The two hugged, and Ms. Oak said, "Oh, sweetie, it's so good to see you!"

He smiled and broke the hug. "You too, Mom." Wes looked at her neck to see the charm he had bought her for her birthday glistening in the sunlight. "Did you like the present I got you for your birthday?"

She fingered the charm. "Of course I do! You're so thoughtful!"

The man approached from behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hello, Wes. How are you?"

The boy appeared confused. "P-professor Newman. Nice to see you too." The little girl from earlier wrapped her arms around her father's legs.

Only to a certain extent were two and two put together. "Why did she call you 'Mommy'?"

Mr. Oak smiled, and put a hand gently on the little girl's head. "Wes, this is Jillian. Alex's son." She then looked back up lovingly to her son. "She's going to be you step-sister soon."

Wes nearly jumped. "You mean he proposed!?"

I saw the glint of a tear in her eye. "Yes, he did. Isn't it wonderful."

Alex fully wrapped his arm around Ms. Oak (soon to be Mrs. Newman)'s shoulder. "We came here to tell you in person."

Jillian tugged on her father's pant leg. "Don't forget my Contest!"

Alex chuckled. "Of course not, Princess. While we were here, Jillian wanted to try a Pokémon Contest. It's open to everyone, even non-Coordinators."

After hearing that I scratched my chin. "An open Contest…that sounds like fun! I could test out Pandora!" I looked back to the Mawile. "How does that sound?"

"Maw!" she cried, waving her arms happily in the air.

"_Bien alors_!" came the outburst from Burgundy. "If you're entering, that means that I must enter! And if I must enter, I must win!"

She turned her head and beamed. "And with my Connaisseuse skills, I'll be able to pick the best combinations, which is the ultimate goal of a Coordinator, no?" She laughed impudently. "I'm afraid, dear William, that, that your flavoring is not quite right for this dish. A Trainer in a Contest is like a steak on a seafood menu! It doesn't belong!"

"Care to put a friendly wager on it?" I asked with a grin.

"Humph!" she said, extending a hand to shake. "Fine! When I take my revenge on you for all those passed defeats, I will then choose your punishment!"

I shook my head. "No, no! We agree ahead of time!"

"Fine then! I will come to you with my proposal before the event! Until then!" She began to stride heroically to the other end of the lake.

I cleared my throat and called, "What about lunch?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, and called back, "Then after lunch!"

Meanwhile, Wes and his mother's somewhat awkward reunion was going strong. Awkwardly, that is.

Wes bit his lip, not sure how to invite his mother and to be step-relative to lunch with his friends and Pokémon.

"So…uh…you guys wanna have some lunch?"

Ms. Oak smiled. "Oh, Wes, of course we-"

"Mommy, mommy!" cried Jillian, tugging on her pant leg. "Wanna see me do a cartwheel?"

Ms. Oak smiled down at her to be step-daughter. "Of course, sweetie!" She looked back to Wes. "Can lunch wait a bit, dear?"

Wes swallowed. "Uh…sure."

As the three turned to make their way to an open spot, he saw Jillian shoot an evil glare his way, and then continue on.

Deep down, Wes knew he was dealing with his own Pandora.

* * *

**Though I was all out of Egg-pun chapter names, did you? Hehehe...plenty more to come...**

**You know that annoying little sister you may or may not have that you eventually base a character off of. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Jillian.**

**The Egg has hatched, and inside it came a devious little attention hog known as Pandora. How far will she drive CJ? And she wasn't the only little brat to show her face this chapter: with the announcement of Ms. Oak's impending marriage came Jillian, Wes's new attention-grabbing step-sister. What will be to come? And how will the Contest go? Stay tuned to find out!**

**I hope my lore explanation of the Kalos region wasn't dumb. I just feel like excluding it from the universe all together wouldn't have been a good decision, and I couldn't think of any really better explanations.**

**So, a personal little update (which I bet no one cares about but I'm gonna say it anyway because listen) a buddy of mine (let's call him...uh...TrainerSnaps) and I finally obtained a pesky Achievement in Halo 4; Bros to the Close. In it, we had to keep six NPC marines alive until the end of the fourth mission: Infinity. It took us a while, but we finally managed to save those poor suckers' lives and get the Achievement. And we had a lot of fun doing it.**

**But let's just say that if the two of us ever become Space Marines, humanity is doomed. So we'll stick to Pokemon training.**

**Reader Question! I don't like making these so that they'd eventually become irrelevant to answer for people who read this IN THE FEWCHER! but I'm leaving the terms of Will and Burgundy's bet up to you guys! What should each have to do if they lose? They can be different things; they don't both have to have the same punishment.**

**Please don't feel bad if I don't pick yours; there'll be plenty more bets to come! And don't go too overboard! For now, enjoy, and review!**

**Pandora: Mawhile maw woyl: ****_Review, if ya know what's good for you..._**


	59. Chapter 59: A Startling Dislocation!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Co. landed just outside of Verdanturf Town in time for Will's Egg to hatch, revealing a female Mawile, whom will named Pandora. Pandora appeared to just be an adorable infant at first glance, but such is the nature of a Deceiver Pokemon. Behind Will's back, Pandora fights a secret war against CJ for Will's attention, turning CJ's emotions against her and feigning innocence. Later, the team meets Wes's mom, who announces her engagement to a fellow scientist. Also with them is Jillian, the man's young daughter, who like Pandora plots to steal attention, this time from Wes's mom, and use her innocence as an advantage. Will overhears that there will be a Contest open to all, and Burgundy shows interest as well as he. The two set up a bet, but are yet unsure of the terms. What will happen next? Find out now!**

**Thanks to A Random Human for her suggestion, which is what I will primarily be using. Don't worry: there'll be plenty more bets to come, and I know where I might use a few I received!**

* * *

Human lunch went on a little after Pokémon lunch did. So while the rest of us finished up our lunches, I semi-conducted an orientation battle between Skipper and Pandora, to see what she was made of and to show her the ropes.

All of my Pokémon were assembled around as the two went at it, and some of the others' were as well.

They spoke amongst themselves as the battle went on.

CJ snorted. "Look at her," she growled, arms crossed. "Barely an hour out of the Egg and she's already showing off…"

Just then, Pandora leapt up and did a front flip, gripping Skipper's face with a powerful Bite attack. She landed behind him, and with her momentum and the enormous amount of torque generated in her head-jaws, she managed to pull Skipper onto his back.

She tossed the hair like scales hanging off of her head, and then winked at CJ. Torch could've sworn he saw actual steam coming off of her as she growled with rage. He slithered a bit to the side.

"Showing off?" said Grunt, "She's a natural. I can safely say that she will be a great contribution to our team."

Grimlock nodded. "I agree. The hatchling shows considerable skill."

"Humph." CJ tossed her own hair. While the Kirlia wasn't normally the jealous type, this surge of new emotion caused not only by a new Pokémon bursting onto the scene, but also the fact that said Pokémon was an attention grabbing brat, caused this surge to be rather uncontrollable.

No one could really blame her for being unable to control these emotions. Heck, she was the _Emotion Pokémon! _But it wasn't fair to Will, her Trainer, who she loved deeply.

But it still wasn't fair to her. This little menace was just knocking her to the side like some used toy, and CJ wouldn't have it.

Picking himself up off the ground, Skipper laughed and smiled like a good sport. Reaching his long arm out, he patted Pandora on the back and escorted her back to the group.

"Alright guys, whaddya think?"

"You already know our opinions," said Grunt, referring to himself and Grimlock. "Knowing the Master, he will likely choose her for the battling round of the Contest to test her skills."

Skipper pursed his lips. "I agree. And no offense to you guys, but I doubt it'll be any of us three. In any round, that is. We aren't that much in the ways of style and grace, and I think we've already agreed that Pandora is a shoe-in for the Battle Round."

CJ let out an unladylike snarl and stomped her foot. "What about me!?"

Skipper looked at her confusedly. This outburst of negative emotion was quite unusual for the Kirlia…he didn't often offend her. In fact, no one ever had.

"Er…I was thinking you'd be more fit for the Performance Round."

Looking as innocent and adorable as possible, Pandora asked, "What about Torch and Scout?"

"Whelps," snickered Grimlock, "The both of them."

Helping prove the point, Torch was now fast asleep, and their comments about him went right over his head. Scout on the other hand happened to be passing right by Grimlock at the moment he said it.

"Oh," sighed the Vibrava, her gaze drooping. "Y-you know, I didn't like contests that much anyway…too many flashy lights and people…I'm gonna go lie down…"

The others could've sworn they heard a weak squeal, signaling the start of tears. Grunt, CJ, and Skipper all shot Grimlock nasty looks. He shrugged his wings.

"What! I was only being honest!"

Grunt rolled his eyes. "In any case, I predict the roster to be CJ for the Performance Round; her grace and Psychic-Type moves do make a potent pair in such an event."

Grimlock snorted. "You're beginning to sound like Burgundy…"

"I like the way her hair smells," said Pandora cutely. Behind her, her head–jaws made a nipping motion. "I wanna eat it!"

CJ motioned to the Mawile in a "told you so" manner. "See! We need to watch out for this little demon!"

A sniffle erupted from Pandora. CJ looked and was almost softened for a moment, before her brain (or her ego) found out Pandora's little trick.

Tears had welled up in her eyes, and were about to spill forth in a flood like manner. Skipper wrapped and arm around her to comfort.

"There, there," he sighed, jostling her a bit. He then sent an acid glance CJ's way and said, "She didn't mean it. She was just being silly."

CJ felt as if she had just been punched in the soul. Not only was this thing trying to turn her Trainer against her, but it was also making an honest-to-Arceus attempt at her friends.

And Pandora was succeeding.

Simulating rolling up her sleeves, CJ shoved Skipper aside and marched towards Pandora. As she approached, the witch child put on an innocent, even slightly afraid look. CJ scoffed. _That won't save you now, kid…_

She jabbed her hand into Pandora's chest. Pandora looked down, and then looked up, her innocent frown asking if it was her CJ truly sought.

"Yes, you," hissed the Kirlia. "You think you're hot stuff, huh? Well Skipper was probably taking it easy on you! I'll challenge you to a battle myself! Let's see what you're really made of!"

Pandora nodded nervously (and falsely). _Perfect, _she thought on the inside, _I make my first attack quick and miss so I don't do any visible damage. Then I let Miss Priss attack me, jostle up a few tears, and I've got myself some more cuddle time with the boss…_

"Okay!" Pandora chirped, bobbing her head up and down. "Sounds like fun!"

Skipper moved in to separate the two. "Let's not get too hasty," he advised, but with interrupted by the metal clanking of Grimlock walking forward. The Skarmory held out a blade-wing that pressed up against the Swampert's chest, pushing him back.

"Not so fast, Swampy," growled Grimlock, a certain sparkle in his eye that Grunt especially remembered. "The hatchling wants to fight, so I say let it. We all need to learn our way so that we can be ready for combat. Young is best; from birth is even better. I know I did. And you know you all did as well. Don't lie."

Grunt, who was leaning up against a small tree, grunted. "You wouldn't know the first thing about 'ready for combat'."

Grimlock creaked as he turned, his face contorted in rage. "Oh really? And why not?"

"Because all you do is swoop down on unsuspecting Pokémon. _Weaker _Pokémon." Grunt scowled as he recalled his battle with Grimlock in Fallarbor Town, pre being caught by Will.

A few more clanking steps and Grimlock was in Grunt's face. "You ready, Fat Boy?"

The Hariyama's eyes burned. "I'm always ready."

"Then let's fight," suggested the Skarmory. The word "fight" made his mind briefly flutter to the conversation he had very recently had, and he turned towards CJ and Pandora. "In fact, why not double up? I'll take the kid. You take the Kirlia."

A few feet behind them in the bushes, Scout backed away further. "G-guys…" she stammered, her voice nowhere near loud enough for them to hear. "S-stop…f-fighting isn't the answer…"

Some of the other Pokémon began to gather around, watching as a fight boiled. Grovyle shook his head.

"We shouldn't fight," he said, putting a hand on Grimlock's shoulder, "We're all on the same team, remember? Save it for your Trainer's opponents.

Grimlock harshly shook off Grovyle's grip. "Back off!" he snapped. "The lot of you! I don't quarrel with any of you except him!" He turned back to Grunt. "Now where was I…"

Plusle and Minun ran up to Grimlock, knocking on his leg like they were asking permission to enter a room from behind a door.

"Mister Grimlock!" they chorused. "You shouldn't-"

Just as he craned his neck to tell them off, he stopped, mouth agape. The pair stopped dead as well, examining the Skarmory's face.

"You…" he hissed, narrowing his eyes. He raised a talon, and struck.

…

"Look at her," mumbled Wes in between taking a bite of his sandwich. "Barely an hour I've known her and I'm already annoyed to my wits end."

Burgundy scoffed, wiping her cheek with a napkin. "_Mon_, how immature of you, Wesley."

The boy's nose scrunched up and he threw down his napkin. "How so?"

"What do you mean 'how so'?" asked Burgundy, attempting a low voiced interpretation of what Wes sounded like when she said "how so?". "She's a seven year old girl! She's just doing what seven-year-olds do! Playing and wanting attention.

Wes motioned to his eyes. "But that grin! Did you see that grin!?"

Burgundy shook her head and picked up another rice ball. "No, Wes," she said with a little food in her mouth. "I did not see the grin…"

He took a rice ball himself and began to munch on it, while resting his chin on his fist, and his elbow on his knee.

"She shows up, and the second my mother wants to spend time with me, she shoots me some evil grin and leads them away!"

He threw his arms up into the air to enunciate, which sent a few granules of rice up as well. They rained down on my back. I protested, but had an apple in my mouth, so the loudest thing I could manage was, "Ermurph!"

Wes was about to continue when he felt a nudge on his side. Emile scooched in next to them. "Mind if I join in?" he asked. Wes nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, sure…" In truth, his mind was currently not on the conversation. His gaze drifted over to a few yards away, where his mind followed. His mother and soon to be step-father were watching and laughing as Jillian played in the grass, doing cartwheels and such.

And he swore that one time when the two looked into each other's eyes, Jillian stuck her tongue out at him, and then continued playing.

Regardless of what he was thinking, Emile spoke. "I remember when my little sister was born. I had already been competing with my brother for my parents' attention. But with a new baby in the house, both of us got the backburner.

"We found ourselves with each other more often, and we got closer. Once we did that, we started thinking collectively, and determined that our sister was just a baby, and our parents weren't neglecting us, just giving her the attention she needed as an infant."

Wes moved his chin from its rest atop his fist to look at Emile lazily. "I don't have a brother, Emile."

The Ranger laughed. "That's not what I mean. Think about it. Your mother had to raise you yourself. With a job to attend to as well, she couldn't make sure you had a particularly _fun _upbringing, but instead that she did it right. I'm sure you both love each other deeply and had some great memories together, but she never got to share in the experience of raising a child. So now with Jillian…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Wes waved his hand and picked up another rice ball. "I just-"

Burgundy shrieked, causing Wes to flinch and drop his rice ball. The Connaisseuse jumped to her feet and ran a few paces before stopping, shaking with her fists clenched.

I leapt up too at the sound of Burgundy's outcry. I didn't need to ask what was the matter.

Not ten feet from our own picnic blanket was that on which the Pokémon fed and were currently presiding. And where Grimlock was brutally attacking Plusle and Minun.

In his right talon he had Minun, who was trying pointlessly to shock the stronger Pokémon. Running around his legs was Plusle, narrowly avoiding the slashes from the Skarmory's sword-like wings.

"Grimlock!" I bellowed instinctually. "Cut it out, right now!"

I recognized a wrong choice of words, as the intensity of Grimlock's slashes intensified. My hand flew to my belt, and I grabbed the Great Ball which housed Grimlock. I pointed it and shouted "Return!"

The red beam shot out, and Grimlock's head had just swiveled to face me as it struck him, and recalled him to the Pokéball. Minun plopped to the ground, and Plusle ran up to check on him.

Great Ball in hand, I began marching towards the forest. What had gotten into my Pokémon as of late!?

…

"Grimlock, come out."

There was a brief flash of white, and an enraged Skarmory popped out, blade-wings spreads and teeth gleaming like vengeful daggers.

"AAAAR!" he screeched. _Where did those little rats go!?_

I stomped my foot, the sound echoing through the small, empty clearing I had found. I jabbed a finger at Grimlock's face. "What was that all about!? Why did you attack Plusle and Minun!?"

Grimlock simply turned around and snarled. _I have my reasons…_

My eye twitched. I ran around to the other side of him so that I could see his face, but when I got there, he simply closed his eyes to ignore me.

"You have your reasons? You have your _REASONS!? _Let me tell you something, buddy boy! I do not tolerate that, hear me?"

He snorted. Maybe he heard me. Maybe he didn't. Either way it didn't seem to change his stubborn and arrogant nature, as he wing-blades began to flutter, and he took off.

I started up in disbelief. The _nerve _of some people…and Pokémon, I guess.

"Fine!" I yelled, raising my hand to act as a visor against the sun as I watched him lift off. "When you come back, you'd better be ready to face the music!"

And with that, I spun on my heels to return to our lunch spot.

…

When I returned, Wes and Emile were in the process of packing up the picnic blanket, the rest of our stuff neatly put away and piled up near our backpacks.

Wes and Burgundy had recalled all of their Pokémon, and only mine remained out of their Pokéballs, milling around and talking nervously in Pokémon.

Speaking of Burgundy, she was waiting for me. She stood with an enraged, scornful look on her face, tapping her foot.

When she saw me, she jumped and began marching in my direction. I paid her no heed until she reached me, and even then I continued recalling my Pokémon.

"_Outrageant_!" she cried, her face going red. "William Grey, you had better maintain more control over your Pokémon! I-"

Calmly, and without looking at her, I said, "I'm sorry for Grimlock's actions." I was genuinely embarrassed by what my Skarmory had done.

What if someone had gotten hurt? Looking like a bad Trainer would've been the most minor problem in that situation.

"It's all my fault," I mumbled, before securing the last of the Pokéballs to my belt and depressed. shambled back towards the bags.

Burgundy bit her lip and held back her hand before calling for me to stop. _This is the first time a Pokémon of his has ever done something openly disobedient. Well, barring Moltres in the Indigo League. But still, this was the first time someone almost got hurt. He must be crushed…_

The effervescent Connaisseuse decided to try and rile me up in an effort to raise my spirits. "_Excusez-moi_," she said, waving in my direction. I slowly turned.

She grinned pompously, and her hands mounted her hips. "I was just thinking about how much you're not going to want to lose that bet."

The ghost of a grin appeared on my face. I #!*% my head back. "Oh really? What're the terms?"

"I think it fair to let you choose yours first."

I scratched my chin, thinking up the best punishment for the big-mounted purple-headed Unovan.

Hm…big-mouth…purple-head…

"If I win, no Evaluations for a week! And, you have to substitute all French with something silly. Failure to comply will result in your hair being died green."

She nearly jumped out of her skin. "G-green!?"

Behind us, Wes and Emile snickered as the thought of a green haired Burgundy entered their mind. She leaned around me, and shaking her fist yelled, "I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW! ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT I'M GONNA LOOOOOSE!?"

The two sheepishly looked away and continued folding the picnic blanket. Burgundy cleared her throat and brushed off her clothes. "_When _I win, you're sentence shall be that of an unpaid intern, forced to comply with the wishes of a horde of unhappy customers!"

I groaned. "Cut the Connaisseuse garbage and get to the point…"

She scowled. "You will have to do any favor I ask of you."

"_Any _favor?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Any favor! No loopholes!" She then reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "And if you don't, I'll give Addison a call…"

My body briefly convulsed as an Arctic level chill was sent down my spine. I needed to win this…if I didn't, Burgundy would present me with an absolutely intolerable task that I'd be bound by my honor to do.

And if I didn't, the alternative would be…

An image flashed into my mind of me cowering on the edge of a cliff before the face of a hundred-foot-tall Addison. Her teeth were sharp and pointed, and fire blazed in her eyes, just as it did all around her.

_MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!, _laughed Nightmare Addison, _I'VE GOT A GREAT AFTERNOON PLANNED FOR US, HONEY BUNCHES! YOU GET TO MEET MY PARENTS! MWAHAHAHA!_

I shivered again and snapped back to reality. "Promise you'll only call if I don't do it?" I squeaked. Grinning, she nodded.

She reached out a slender hand to shake, and I reached out my own. Before they touched, however, I pulled it back.

"Wait!" I said, before hocking and spitting into my hand. "Spit shake."

"Ew! Gross!"

* * *

**Another one of Will's Pokemon is acting up, and this time it's Grimlock. Not very surprising, but why did he specifically target Plusle and Minun? Next time on Revelations, we'll find out! Also, the Verdanturf Pokemon Contest will begin. Will, Burgundy, Wes, and Jillian will all be competing. For Will and Burgundy, a bet hangs on the line. Who will win? Stay tuned to find out!**

**Sadly, updates may slow down for about a week. But after that, if anything, expect them more frequently! **

**Ugh, I need to stop getting great ideas for the distant future, and get more for now! I've been thinking of a bunch of short-stories that would come after the main saga, and tie it to the "Bonus" saga, as well as a few that take place after that. And maybe even before. So I was thinking (Mini Reader Question) Should I tease the titles of some of these stoires? They give no spoilers, and I want to hear your guys' thoughts on them.**

**Real Reader Question: In the anime (namely Unova tournaments) most Trainers got a little intro from the announcer when the walked onto the field. For example, Burgundy was "The Empress of Evaluation" and they gave a little shpeal about her. Can you think of intros for Will, Wes, and anyone else? Again, I'll some now and some later, so don't feel bad if yours isn't used immediately. **

**Yeah, I know the Burgundy stuff because I've been re-watching all of the episodes with her in them to get inspiration for her character going forward (as well as our mystery anime guest). During the Clubsplosion tournament where she got knocked out in the first round, and no one else did, and she was sitting in the corner while everyone else talked and had fun...it reminded me too much of my life...*sigh*...**

**And no one has guessed the anime character whose going to make an appearance. Looks like I've yet to be...busted. **

**And in minor news, ****I finally managed to spell "Connaisseuse" correctly without spell check having to correct me! Huzzah!**

**Plusle: Plusle pluh! _Review, and ours and Grimlock's back-story will be all the better!_**


	60. Chapter 60: Onward

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Tensions flared not only between CJ and Pandora, but also between Grimlock, Plusle and Minun, as it is revealed that Grimlock has some sort of score to settle. Will, baffled by the behavior of his Pokemon, gives Grimlock a choice: shape up of shove off. Grimlock apparently takes the latter, flying off without a word, leaving Will with that sinking feeling, down on himself and thinking he's a bad Trainer. Burgundy, in an effort to cheer him up, finalizes their bet: If he wins, she must no Evaluate for a week and must substitute all French with something silly. If she wins, Will must do her any favor for an entire week. Failure to comply on the side of the former would force the Connaiseusse to dye her hair green. On the latter: a call to Addison. Who will win? Stay tuned to find out!**

* * *

After about a half hour of drifting aimlessly, Grimlock's flight took him over Mauville City, he tall buildings and bustling traffic filling his ears along with the sounds of rushing wind from his altitude.

His path wasn't _entirely_ aimless. He did have a destination: far away from Will. Whether he went back or not was still (no pun intended) up in the air.

The Skarmory just needed time to clear his head. Though the sounds of the city below made it difficult. Hissing, he looked down at the metropolitan as if to tell it to shut up, and his eye caught something.

The giant sign atop a building that appeared to be made out of dilapidated phone line towers. Wires hung of and sprayed blue sparks into the air. All of this was intentional, to add effect to the sign that read, "Mauville City Gym."

Trying to avoid the flashback, Grimlock shook his head. But it came on anyway.

…

"Skarmory, Steel Wing!" cried the excited girl, hoping to go in for the kill on her next Gym Badge. Her brown hair extended down to her shoulders, which were currently covered by her yellow shirt. Along with that she wore a white skirt, and her light wool sweater was tied around her neck.

She had grey-green eyes, and a jubilant smile on her face.

"ARRRR!" cried the Skarmory, rolling its head as it declared impending victory over the opponent, a Manectric. Its right wing glowed silver, and it lunged forward, drifting above the ground.

"Manectric, Thunder Fang!" commanded the Gym Leader, Wattson. His electric hound leapt forward as well, and attempted to bite down on the attacking wing.

It failed. Manectric was swept off of its feet, and landed back on the ground with a thump. It moaned, and ceased moving.

The ref waved his flags. "Manectric is unable to battle! The victory goes to Skarmory, and the battle to Emily!"

"Hooray!" cried Emily, leaping into the air. She ran onto the field to her Skarmory. On her way, the Plusle and Minun located in the stands cheered as well, jumping up and down and pumping their electric pom-poms into the air.

Emily clasped her hands around Skarmory's maw and smiled as she held his face in her hands. "We did it, Skarmory! I just knew we could!"

The Skarmory grinned. He glanced down at the Manectric lying on the ground, out cold. He had just one this entire battle single-handedly (well, single wingedly).

He was invincible. Or so he thought.

…

The setting changed. They were no longer in what looked like a power plant, but a different Gym entirely.

There were no more wires or nodes, and the walls were painted dark crimson. Once again, a Skarmory took the field of battle in front of Emily, and a Plusle and Minun cheered them on.

Yet this time, Skarmory was a bit more beat up than last. Signs of battle shone off its once gleaming armor. It was scratched and singed in many places. His head was partially bowed, and he was panting.

Emily reached into her pocket and pulled out a Pokéball. "Okay, Skarmory, you did good, but-"

"AAAAR!" he cried, spreading his wings and roaring to the heavens defiantly. Not one step forward and he once again flinched in pain.

"Skarmory, it's time for a rest!" cried Emily, fingering the button on the ball. But at the last second, Skarmory leapt out of the way, the red beam piercing the air where he had just been. His wing lit up for another Steel Wing as he brought it back for a whack.

"Camerupt, Fire Spin!" cried Flannery. Camerupt puffed out its nostrils, and then launched the fanning waves of fire.

The inferno swirled around Skarmory, at one point even blurring it from sight. But within the flaming cocoon, a writing shadow could be seen, struggling to break free.

With one mighty flap of its wings, Skarmory broke free, and flew onwards, finishing its attack. Camerupt reared back, and tilted onto its side. The ref waved his flags.

"Camerupt is unable to battle! The victory goes to Skarmory, and the battle to Emily!"

Skarmory roared triumphantly, then turned and stared daggers at Emily. Biting her lip and wearing confusion on her face, Emily recalled Skarmory.

She looked down at her Pokéball, and then up at Plusle and Minun.

…

"Skarmory, stop!"

The sound pierced through the flashback before the image even shifted. The mental video lag picked up with a massive, hairy fist pounding down on Skarmory's back, and sending him skidding across the floor.

They were now located in yet another Gym. The walls were plain: simply mild green and tan, with an unchanged League regulation field. Once again, Plusle and Minun served as Emily's cheer team.

Though this time they weren't cheering. They both looked afraid as Skarmory took Hammer Arm after Hammer Arm, and refused to submit. To Emily or Slaking.

Skarmory growled as he struggled to stand, staggering to the side as he did. Emily finally took her chance.

"Skarmory, return!" The red beam shot out of the Pokéball, and enveloped Skarmory. She looked down at the ball in her hand.

"Why don't you ever listen to me anymore?" she whispered. "This is getting out of hand."

Her head turned to the stands. "Minun. You're up."

…

One final time, the scene shifted. They were back at Mauville, or at least they were close. The skies were dark, and rain was drizzling down. Emily stood on a grassy hill north of the city, three Pokéballs in her hands.

She was shaking, and her eyes were puffy. A tear still remained on her cheek. Sobbing one last time, she sent out her three Pokémon.

Though this time, there was no white flash. The bright flare was sparkly blue, the sign of a Pokémon being released.

Skarmory emerged, as well as Plusle and Minun. Simultaneously, all three examined themselves, feeling a bit different.

Emily sniffled. "I've released you. You're free now."

Plusle and Minun shrieked, and ran up to their previous Trainer. They reached her legs and looked up at her dejectedly, trying to climb up onto her shoulders like they had so many times.

Emily began to genuinely cry as she gently shoved them back down. "Stop! You're making it worse!"

The two Cheering Pokémon sat down, obeying her command. This elicited another sob, and she nervously bit down on her knuckle as she continued to cry.

"Skarmory…" she sobbed, looking at her other Pokémon. He simply growled and looked away. He didn't need to listen to her anymore…

"I just want you to know…this isn't just your fault," she wept. "I should've been a better Trainer…but still, you weren't listening to me anymore…and all you do now is pick fights with my other Pokémon, including Plusle and Minun."

The twosome looked forlornly back at Skarmory as if expecting him to offer up an explanation for his deeds. He simply bared his stainless steel teeth.

Emily continued, trying not to lose it any more than she already had. At that, she was not doing a very good job.

"I-It would've be fair if I just released one of you…so this is it. Goodbye. I'm s-sorry I put you into this situation…"

Plusle and Minun began to weep as well, snot running down their little noses. Shakily, they tried to hug Emily's legs, but she jumped back before they could grab on.

She tried to choke out another word, but failed. She turned and ran, full on weeping.

Skarmory felt rage well up within him. His face contracted, and a low hiss escaped his throat. But then, he realized that he was free again. No one was the boss of him. He didn't need some snotty human brat.

He began to tromp slowly away, towards the desert where he had once made his home. And then he counted for what was on the other hand.

Emily had offered him the perfect set up: food, shelter, and plenty of battles. And then these two came along and ruined it all.

Rage once again flooded his heart, and he flipped around spontaneously, wings on the wind. He let out a bloodcurdling screech, which distracted Plusle and Minun long enough for them to look just in time to see Skarmory's steely talons closing around them.

The angered Armor Bird whisked them high into the air, screaming like a banshee. As they rose, the intensity of the wind and rain increased. Plusle and Minun screamed as well, out of a mixture of pure terror, and still out of sadness for the loss of Emily.

Both at the same time realized what Skarmory had seconds before: it was the other guy's fault!

Coordinating their efforts, both used Spark, illuminating the air around Skarmory. As if the action itself had brought it on, lightning flashed and thunder boomed.

The sensitive ears of Plusle and Minun were near shattered, but Skarmory remained as unfazed as when he had been hit with their attack.

Screeching, he flipped them up so that they were at face-level. He brought a wing up, and slammed it down on Plusle. She fell screaming into the distance.

Double the rage he had felt before overcame Minun, as did the need for vengeance. He grabbed onto Skarmory's metal face, and unleashed a powerful Spark.

While it only caused a minor stinging sensation, the proximity of the brightness to his eyes temporarily blinded him.

Skarmory shook his head furiously, with Minun hanging on for dear life. The rain pattering down onto Skarmory's metal body, however, made him slippery, and Minun fell off as well, but in an entirely different direction that Plusle.

He took a few moments to breath and take in what had just happened, and then Skarmory roared once more, his shriek louder than the thunder itself.

…

Grimlock shook his head. His eyes flickered back to the real world, and he realized that he had descended much closer to the ground than he had expected.

Not only that, but he had passed entirely over Mauville City. He was now drifting over the wooded areas of Route 110. He was very close to the coast, and the massive turnpike that was the Bike Trail could be seen not a few miles away.

He thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't crashed while he was taking an unwilling trip down memory lane. Then again, he was made of metal. He would've hurt the ground more than it would've hurt him…

With a loud clomp Grimlock touched down at the water's edge. He looked around and surveyed his surroundings. Before him was wide open sea. Behind him were densely packed trees.

Grimlock felt a lot more forlorn than he thought he would. Maybe he truly did miss Will. Maybe that Trainer had been the right fit for him and he had hastily blown him off…

He shook his head. _What am I thinking? That twerp just clipped my wings! I'm best free, anyway._

When he looked into the water, he didn't see the battle hungry beast he felt like, though. He saw a polished, pristine, aerodynamic Skarmory.

The result of his unusual shine was the fact that once a week nowadays, Will would polish the metal on his body. Grimlock recalled the lanky Trainer staying up three hours past his usual bedtime reading up on facts on how to keep a Skarmory healthy.

Another shake of the head, this one more rapid. _Some water will clear my mind…_

Grimlock bent down and began to take generous gulps of the lake water, when all of a sudden he heard the _PLORP _of something coming up from underwater.

Still drinking, one of his eyes drifted up to see the grinning Lotad staring back at him. Grimlock sighed, which created a flow of bubbles since he was underwater.

"Whaddya want, kid?" he asked in the language of Pokémon, removing his head from the water and standing up straight. This form alone had, in the past, scared off entire swarms of Cacnea, but the Lotad stood unflinching.

No. That sounded gutsy. The dumb little thing simply stared up at him, awestruck.

"I've never seen you before," said the Lotad. "What's your name?"

"Gri-" he almost said the name he had been assigned by Will, before remembering that he was his own Pokémon. "It's just Skarmory."

The Lotad #!*% his head to the side, confused. "You almost said something."

"Well, I-"

"Do you have a Trainer?" interjected the Lotad, his eyes brightening. "I've always wanted a Trainer!"

Grimlock was unsure how to respond. As previously stated he was still unsure whether or not he wanted to go back.

Before he could answer, "HEEEEEEELP!" echoed through the forest. Both Pokémon flipped around, towards the woods where the cry had originated from.

Lotad hopped out of the water and skittered forward. "Sh-should we check it out."

Grimlock growled. On this little soul trip, Grimlock despised the term "we." There was no "we." If Grimlock so desired, from then on it would only be "me."

Perhaps this was just fates way of showing him the answer. His true calling could wait beyond those bushes.

Or he could be in legitimate danger.

…

"-and then the thing threw me into a shop window!" Juno blurted through Skye's communicator. The Ranger leaned up against an oak tree as she got the report from her friend on the other side of the world.

Neo and Genesis were currently preparing to move on. The prep work had been done; the only thing that truly remained was figuring out where exactly they should go.

Over the past few days, Skye had grown a bit less suspicious of the mysterious teens. They seemed very polite and kind, and gave of no indication that they were hiding something.

They had come completely clean about their mission: deliver the orbs to Mt. Pyre. For what reason, they knew not.

But "polite" and "kind" weren't the only words that could be used for the two. They seemed very different, in a way that Skye had yet to place. There was a word on the tip of Skye's tongue for what exactly they were…

Pure. The two seemed completely innocent and untainted. If their bodies didn't clearly convey their age to be around seventeen, Skye would've suggested they were younger than ten.

"What happened next?" she asked into the Styler on her wrist.

_"I put the smack down on 'em!"_

Skye rolled her eyes. Juno was silent for a moment, and then spoke. _"You just rolled your eyes, didn't you?"_

She grinned smugly and was silent once more. Juno sighed. _"Fine. It hit me so hard that I got stuck in the wall…"_

"Then how did you beat it?"

_"That's the thing. I _didn't_! When it was about to wrap things up, it literally just fell over. Last I heard it was being shipped to some secret study facility."_

A growl crackled through the comm. _"And now, _I'm _shipped off back to duty! There goes my first vacation in three years that I called for the sole reason to bond with my real mother, who I just met. But it's not my place to assume that there are others like me who could handle things. Nooooooo! I've gotta hang up the towel early and come back! I cannot believe-"_

Juno droned on and Skye held her wrist out while she looked over her shoulder. Neo and Genesis were approaching. They had their bags and such with them, so it seemed they were ready to move on.

Skye returned to her conversation. _"-and how come I have to be the one to deal with rogue AIs! Everyone knows I hate these freaking computers!"_

"Still hung up over the whole BiTac incident?" asked Skye.

_"Uh, yeah, I almost died! I'm pretty mad still! Anyway, I should be arriving in a couple of days. I'll see you then."_

The Styler beeped as Juno signed off, which coincided with Neo and Genesis arriving next to Juno.

"Who was that?" asked Genesis in that ever sweet tone of hers. Skye couldn't help but smile when she responded.

"Just a friend."

Neo shifted his backpack. "Do you know where we're going next?"

"I was kind of thinking we head south for Rustboro City. A friend of mine should be arriving there in a few days. He can help us."

Neo bit his lip and looked at Genesis. It wasn't to confer with her, as she continued to look at Skye, but it was because he was nervous. Nervous for her wellbeing.

"C-can…can we trust him?"

Skye's eyes bulged a bit at the question, but then she realized the two weren't exactly normal teens, and may not have heard of Will.

She turned, now facing them instead of the area in front of the tree. "Yes. He's a Pokémon Trainer, and he's done some great things. Plus, he's no stranger to saving the world, so I'm sure he'd be happy to help you guys."

Neo nodded. "Sounds good. Gennie?"

The girl smiled, and flipped a strand of green hair out of her eye. "Sound okay to me. Let's go!"

…

Carly the Team Magma grunt tapped her foot. Not like her other comrades, who were tapping theirs out of boredom, but because she was nervous.

Simply put: bad things always happened to Carly.

Little known fact: Carly had once been a part of the resurgent Team Rocket organization in Johto. She had been inside the Mahogany Town base when it mysterious exploded, and the crumbling infrastructure rewarded her was a concussion and two broken ankles.

She had since been drafted into Team Magma, and just a few weeks ago had nearly been mauled by a swarm of Solrock and Lunatone when attempting to steal a meteorite from a scientist in Fallarbor Town.

After that she had been arrested, and quite frankly she _wanted _to go to jail! No bases to be destroyed in jail, no angry Rock-Types to break your bones. Just a 12x12 stone room and (something Carly wanted above all) quiet.

Carly felt a tap on her shoulder. One of her comrades, Jake, was giving her a funny look. "Cheer up!" he said, "We're about to redeem ourselves for messing up in Fallarbor Town!"

The female grunt slouched and sighed exhaustedly. "But I wanted to go to jail…"

"Quit kidding around!" said Jake, flicking her on the forehead. Carly yelped and felt the spot, and the little bump that had popped up on it.

As if the fact that everything bad happened to her wasn't enough, Carly was a very easy bruiser. She also had asthma and a mild form of arthritis. And if constantly having your bones crushed by strange occurrences was a health condition, she'd be diagnosed with that too.

Jake peered around the tree and looked through his binoculars. Past the verdant green hills and beauteous flower beds was his target: the Contest Hall.

"There's our target," he said, licking his lips.

Carly moaned. "Whaddya think this time? Graveler jumping through a hoop? Hariyama doing flips? Or a rogue stage light?"

Jake lowered his binoculars and looked at her funny. "What?"

"I mean what's going to crush me this time?"

He chuckled, and then peered back around the tree. "Stop being so pessimistic. It's gonna be simple! Courtney wants a new Pokémon, but she wants one with style. So, we jack the winner, and maybe a few more for ourselves!"

He faced her again and leaned up against the tree trunk with his elbow. "Piece of cake," he said, snapping his fingers. "And at the very least, you could enjoy the pretty flowers."

Carly sneezed. "I'm allergic to pollen…"

Jake rolled his eyes. "Let's go!"

"This is gonna hurt..."

* * *

**Well, looks like a lot of things are going on! Grimlock, trying to figure out what he should do after a dramatic series of flashbacks, has heard a desperate cry for help in the forest. Skye, Neo, and Genesis are looking for Will, both parties needing each other more than they know. Juno is on her way, as well as Cassius. Will this cause further tensions? And it looks like Team Magma, aided by Carly The Grunt Who Bad Stuff Always Happens To. And pile that all up on the Contest about to start! Stay tuned to find out what happens next!**

**And on the subject of "BiTac" who was mentioned in the middle of the chapter: he will be explained in one of those short stories I mentioned, so that's a long term "Stay Tuned!"**

**Also, I've finally finished Gates to Infinity! It took my so long because, wouldn't you know it, the last level is broken...either that or the Pokemon in that dungeon that are strong to Grass-Types and have surprisingly effective movesets are simply randomized.**

**But seriously, I skirted through that game without a sideways glance, and then the game just jumps you with that last dungeon. Excuse me, dungeonS! There's like six in the last area! I had to spend a couple of days hunting through Magnagate Dungeons for Reviver Seeds, because I DIDN'T BUY THAT MANY BECAUSE THE GAME WAS SO EASY UP TO THEN!**

**Reader Question: If Pokemon: The Plasma Saga was a movie, what would the movie poster look like? I love to hear your guys' interpretations of what my creations look like in your minds! So, until next time!**

**Carly: Review! And-ow! Yelled too loud...soar throat...**


	61. Chapter 61: S'il Vous Plaît

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Grimlock flashed back to reveal his vendetta against Plusle and Minun. After reliving the tragic loss of his original Trainer, Emily, the Skarmory sets down to clear his head and meets an obnoxious Lotad. The two converse about Trainers, and then overhear a cry for help in the woods. Meanwhile, Skye wraps up a call from Juno and finds out she is headed back to Hoenn. She, along with Neo and Genesis, set out for Rustboro to intercept Will. Also meanwhile, Carly The Grunt Who Bad Stuff Always Happens To(against her will) plot to steal Pokemon from the Contest in Verdanturf. Speaking of which, how will that go? Find out now!**

* * *

Wes stood outside of the dressing room, leaning up against the wall, head hung impatiently. He had changed into a white dress shirt, brown pants and was wearing a bowtie. He tapped his fit and groaned.

"Will, can you just come out so we can get this over with!?" he complained.

"No!" I called back. "There is absolutely no way I'm going to-"

Burgundy, who was sitting on a chair across from it, giggled. Although she usually dressed nice in the first place, she had changed into a sparkling red dress and heels.

Also, she was the only person available to make sure I looked okay. Seriously, it felt like my mom was here, inspecting my outfit for some sort of fancy outing.

I groaned and decided to man up. I shoved aside the curtains and stepped out. I was wearing black dress shoes, as well as a regular black tuxedo and a black tie.

As well as my baseball cap…

Burgundy hopped up and made her way over to me. Literally the first thing she did was flick the hat off of my head.

I protested and bent over to pick it up. I plopped it back on my head as I rose, and had it immediately flicked back off.

"Why are you wearing that right now?" Burgundy snapped, putting her hands on her hips, which were accented by the dress.

"Baseball caps are cool," I said, straightening it.

She rolled her eyes and took out a Pokéball. "Don't make me do this, Will."

"Do what?" I asked as she pressed the button. Aipom sprung out and landed on my shoulder.

Realizing what her angle was, I reached up to grab him, but it was too late. The Monkey Pokémon's tail-hand had already grabbed my hat, and was making good time down the hallway.

I almost pursued, but stopped and realized it was futile. Growling, I turned to Burgundy enraged. She put on an innocent façade and giggled.

"_Mon Dieu_, Will. You sure are fond of that hat."

I scoffed. "Yeah, get in all the French you can, because I bet you'll be missing it for a while once I win."

Nose in the air she made her way over to me. She held her hand out, palm facing her face, and licked it, wrist to the tip of her middle finger.

Standing on tiptoes and ran it down the top of my head, smoothing my hair down. She then dropped back down and plopped into her seat, crossing her legs.

"There," said the Connaisseuse with a grin. "Now you look presentable!"

At a loss for words, all I could do was try and fail to choke out words. The nerve…

The gloves were off now. I was gonna _win!_

"Well, some people just have all the luck, don't they?"

Behind us came a slender, confident Coordinator, one that we knew. She wore a Seafoam green dress, and had her black hair running sleek down to her shoulders.

I nodded. "Hello, Kayla."

She stopped just a few feet short of us. "I was hoping this Contest wouldn't be too easy," she said with a smile, tossing her hair. "Now it looks like I get to have some fun."

An Ultra Ball was removed from her small purse, and she flicked it in between her fingers. "I assume you'll be joining me in the final round, Will?"

Before I could speak, Burgundy was up on her feet, nostrils flaring, finger pointed like dagger at Kayla's face.

"_Ne vous méprenez_, Kayla! Will is but a Magikarp out of water in this environment, while I fit right in like a Blitzle in its herd!"

Just as quickly as it had been donned her fury had been swapped for cocky confidence, as her head rose and her hands found their way to her hips. "I'll have you know I plan on winning this event, and mine and Will's bet!"

Kayla looked around Burgundy to me. "You two have a bet?"

I smiled and shrugged. "It's a long story. What Pokémon will you be using, Kayla?"

"Hm," she said, tapping her chin, "Well, I'm thinking I'd start with Mind Your Own Business, and then I'd switch too Nice Try, Wait and See."

I laughed earnestly and scratched the back of my head. "Well, I thought I had you there for a sec…"

While the three of us fraternized for a few more minutes, Wes peeked around us to see the little girl standing at the end of the hallway. His eyes narrowed at the sight of her.

Jillian stuck out her tongue, and then disappeared around a bend in the hall.

…

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the 17th Annual Verdanturf Town Pokémon Contest!"

The announcer sounded peppy and completely into it, though I had my suspicions, as this was the guy at pretty much literally every single Contest in the Hoenn region.

So either he liked his job a lot, or they paid this guy a lot.

The wide U shape of stands surrounded the contest stage. Said stands were packed with spectators, despite this being a relatively small town.

To the right of the stage, high up on the wall was a giant monitor, much like the ones at tournaments I've been to. Under it was an archway where the contestants would enter and exit.

There was nothing really that remarkable about the stage. To me it looked pretty much like a regular regulation League field.

To the left of the stage…well, let's let the announcer earn his paycheck.

"Today, we have an impressive panel of three welcomed judges! First, we have Verdanturf's own Nurse Joy!"

The pink haired woman smiled and giggled, waving bashfully at the clapping throng of spectators. Trainers getting their Pokémon healed usually follow up with a "Thank You;" gratitude for Nurse Joys is certainly in no short supply.

But it seemed to be purely genetics that the women were very meek in nature, as they really never expected nothing in return for their hard work, not even thanks.

It could be said that they take great…_joy_ in what they do…

Okay, I'll stop.

"Thank you everyone," Nurse Joy chirped sweetly into her mic. "Everyone have fun, but remember, don't get hurt!"

"Next to her, we have the head of Hoenn's own branch of the Pokémon Fan Club, Mr. Pokémon!"

The pudgy man in the blue pin-striped suit waved to acknowledge his own applause, and then blotted his seat cheek with a handkerchief. "I expect to see a marvelous show from all of the adorable Pokémon that will be put on display here today!"

"Well said, Mr. Pokémon," the announcer continued. "And finally, our special guest judge today is none other than Rustboro City's own Gym Leader, Roxanne Stone!"

The tan girl waved. "Good luck to everyone! I hope to see a textbook example of a great show!"

The announcer let the clamor die down before speaking again. "As most of you should know, a Contest consists of two rounds. First, Trainers will give a display of their Pokémon, making them look as graceful, cool, smart, or just plain amazing as possible. They can do this with moves, abilities, clothing-"

I nearly jumped. Backstage, I was standing in the hall reserved for Coordinators with Kayla and Burgundy. "We were supposed to dress our Pokémon up!?"

Kayla snickered into her hand. "Is there any hope at all for you, Will?"

"There'd better be," I grumbled to myself. "I'm supposed to save the world or something…"

"Hm?" Kayla asked as her head swiveled around. "Did you say something."

Ice ran cold down my spine. I just remembered there were a ton of people I still haven't told that the world will explode or whatever if I don't get the three orbs to Mt. Pyre in time.

Heck, there are still things I didn't know! Like what's a "Cycle"!? And what has my father still yet to tell me!?

I zone back in just as the announcer was finishing up his monologue. "And now, the computer will randomize our first contestant.

On the smaller monitor on the wall above us, small versions of all the competitors portraits flipped round like cards, and began to spin in a circle.

The animation stopped as the cards came together in a deck, and then one flipped out front. The picture was that of Burgundy's face.

"Looks like I'm up first," she said snootily, making her way to the door. "Shame. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go before you and make you all look bad!"

Before I could try and think of something witty to say back, the announcer came over the loudspeaker and said, "And a reminder, this Contest is sponsored by Devon Corp. Devon Corp; Better Solutions for a Brighter Tomorrow."

I nearly spat on the ground at the sound of that name, but noticed at the end of the hallway a certain purple monkey Pokémon, dancing with my hat in its hands.

"Why you little…" I took off in pursuit of him.

…

The crowd roared as Burgundy finished her routine.

"Fantastic!" came the ref. "Burgundy really took a chance, telling Skitty to use the move Assist, but was rewarded with a beautiful show of the attack move Spark! Contestants take note; that may give you a hint as to what Pokémon she has in store! Now, let's see what the Judges have to say!"

The three judiciaries tapped into the keypads on their stands, and then looked up. ON Nurse Joy's stand came a nine. On Mr. Pokémon's was a nine point five, and on Roxanne's was a nine as well.

"And the Judges are impressed! If it were up to me, and it's not, Burgundy would already have a guaranteed spot in the next round! Let's give it up for her!"

Burgundy curtsied, and then exited with Skitty behind her. The Kitten Pokémon had been adjourned with a yellow ribbon around her neck, which had waved and flowed when Skitty was jumping about.

How did I know all of this? Well, when chasing Aipom I got the occasional glance at a monitor broadcasting the Contest, as well as an occasional nasty glance at me from other Trainers.

I stopped with my hands on my knees, panting. I didn't want to get my tuxedo all sweaty, and I'd have a shot at Aipom later.

Just as I turned to go back the intercom lit up. "Next to compete will be…Wesley Oak!"

…

"Aron, show them what you're made of!"

Wes let loose his Pokéball, and Aron came flying out. The small Steel-Type had been dressed to the nines, wearing a top hat and a monocle.

"Ladies and gents, you've seen it here first: an Aron with a fashion sense!" Many people in the audience laughed at the announcer's joke.

Also in the audience were Wes's mom and her fiancé, who were there to route for two children.

"You can do it, honey!" cried Ms. Oak. "I believe in you!"

The professor in training scratched the back of his head nervously as he came to terms with being embarrassed on national TV, and tried to shake it off.

"Alright Aron, just as we rehearsed! Iron Defense!"

"Ara!" Aron spread its stubby legs wide and looked up to the sky, its unbreakable carapace glowing like starlight as the stadium lights shone down on it.

This got a big "Oooooh!" from the audience as specs of light danced across the arena like water reflected light in a cave.

Wes grinned. This had gone off to a very good start. And now to wow them for real. "Aron, Mud Slap, into the air!"

From its already skyward maw Aron let loose a volley of mud balls into the air.

"Wesley started off was a fantastic show of Iron Defense, but his usage of Mud Slap is quite perplexing. Though I'm betting he has a plan up his sleeve.

In fact he did. "Aron, now use Flash Cannon!"

Aron's body gleamed once more, and it unleashed salvo after salvo of glowing silver energy at the mud balls in the air. The beams struck the mud balls, and…

-warm mud exploded all over the arena. People shrieked and tried to cover themselves as the globs of goo rained down on them.

"T-that being said," the announcer squeaked out amidst all the chaos, "I never assumed that it would be a very _good _plan. Judges?"

A four came from Nurse Joy, a two from Mr. Pokémon, and a five from Roxanne, who probably only did it in appreciation for the Ground-Type attack. All in all, not scores to be proud of.

Up in the stands, Mr. Newman put a hand on Ms. Oak's shoulder. The woman had remained unmoving in the face of getting splattered with mud, probably out of faith for her son.

"Uh, honey? Do you think we should maybe leave?"

Ms. Oak shook her head. "No dear, it's fine. You know, Wesley was always a very creative boy-"

Immediately she was struck with mud, coating both lenses of her glasses perfectly. She raised a finger to keep her fiancé from speaking. "That being said, he never really was good at reaching logical conclusions for his experiments."

Down on the ground, Wes slouched and sighed, returning Aron to his Pokéball. The mud was supposed to crystalize…Well, better luck next time.

…

Later in the cafeteria, I patted Wes on the back. My best friend was in a bit of a slump, leaning on the table and slowly sipping his soda.

He had really wanted to impress his mother, and now to him it seemed like there would be no other chance.

"Cheer up, pal," I said, trying to comfort him. I wasn't the best as comfort, seeing as in the past it was always me who needed comforting. But I did my best regardless. "You'll get em next time."

Wes grunted. "You can't see the future…"

"You're right," I said, leaning back in my chair. "I can't. But you're a scientist; you'll understands what I'm about to say. I have a correct amount of data to assume you'll learn from your mistakes and kick everyone's butts next time. Right?"

I turned around as my signal for a round ending went off: applause. A girl named Megan and her Pikachu were just finishing their routine, and had received high scores and high praise for their performance. Next to Kayla, she'd seem like a very tough opponent…

And that's another thing: while some may consider me out of this due to my diehard Trainer status, I still retained my strategic element. I was as in this as anyone else.

Speaking of in this, guess who's portrait appeared next on the screen: yours truly lookin' mighty fine in a tux.

My chair scraped the floor as I shot up and headed for the hall. "Seeya later, Wes! Wish me luck!"

…

"Next up we have William Grey from Viridian City!" A not-too-shabby response of claps sounded from the audience as I was introduced. "Not too long ago this Trainer exploded onto the scene, getting noticed at the degree that takes years for most Trainers. And how did he do it? By being the first Pokémon Trainer since Green of Pallet Town to catch the Legendary Bird Moltres! See please put your hands up for the Obsidian from Viridian, William Grey!"

Obsidian from Viridian…kinda catchy. Nearly unbreakable, formed from volcanic gasses…it made more sense than these people knew…

Avoiding a Cinnabar Island flashback as best I could, I called out my first player. "CJ, you're up!"

"Kiiiiirl!" CJ spun gracefully down, her psychic powers slowing her decent as she fell like an autumn leaf.

"And Will starts with his Kirlia, CJ!" At the last minute I had gotten a few thing together for CJ to wear: a poof violet boa scarf, a pair of purple and yellow polka-dot leg warmers, and an oversized pair of star shaped sunglasses.

All in all, The 80's look suited CJ.

Anyway, I began my attack. Well, not really an attack, but-oh, whatever, I started!

"CJ, Magical Leaf!"

CJ began to spring, leaf shaped bolts of psychic energy orbiting around her. CJ flicked her arms up, and the leaflets flicked into the air in a perfect circle formation, dancing as the fell.

"A beautiful display of Magical Leaf, but definitely not one we haven't seen before. Will's gonna have to really bring the fire if he wants to impress us with this!

_Oh I will…_ "Now, Shock Wave!"

"Kiiiirlia!" Blue strands of electricity welled up around her, and linked from the tips of her feet to each and every leaf, forming a sort of net.

"Now, up in the air!"

Using a combination of Confusion and Teleport to get herself up and stay there, CJ waved her arms and anticipated my next order.

"Now, compress!" The Magical Leaves shot up, and surrounded CJ. This resulted in the electric nett being twisted and contorted around what had once formed the rim of the net.

The result was a globe shape formed by the electricity, with CJ in the middle surrounded by Magical Leaves.

_And now for the icing on the cake…_"Confusion, go!"

Her arms formed an X, and then shot out to the side. The net exploded into a billion tiny sparkles, and the leaves shot around like spectral comets, with CJ drifting down slowly to the ground.

"Lia!" shouted CJ, striking one final pose. The crowd roared with excitement as the announcer came on.

"Amazing! William proves not only to be force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, but on the stage as well! He might be right at home, though. It says here that in his files that he played the part of the Major General in his school production of _The Pirates of Penzance_. Wow, it takes a lot of skill to talk that fast!"

Embarrassed, I returned CJ to her Pokéball. "Now, let's see what the Judges have for Will!"

I was stunned. My very first Contest ever, and my scores were, respectively, nine, ten, and nine. Nearly perfect.

…

My friends welcomed me back was clapping. I smiled and mocked being an actor walking onto the stage to accept and award.

Not being a bad sport, Burgundy smiled and winked at me. "_Sensationnel_, Will, that was great! Maybe I was wrong about you in a Contest…"

She bit her index finger and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "Nah! I'm still gonna win."

"We'll see," I said with a competitive edge as I sat down on a bench, facing the monitor on a wall.

Four other competitors had shown their skills, among them Kayla and Jillian. Kayla had used Venusaur, and had done pretty well with her showing off of Solarbeam and Poison Powder to reflect light.

Jillian had used a most unusual Pokémon: Gengar. I wouldn't have expected a young girl to have a mischievous Pokémon like that, but you never know, do you?

"And now, we will begin our selection of the sixteen who will move on to the next round!" said the announcer as the cards on the screen, this time backs to us so we wouldn't yet know who made it, shuffled.

The arranged themselves in a bracket, and I feverously scanned for my own picture. There it was, next to a boy named Carl. And my bracket was next to Burgundy's, who would be facing the Megan girl from before.

If we both won, our bet would take place.

Burgundy's was the one to my left. On my right was a bracket containing Jillian. Whoever won the Round 2 battle would face her, if she won.

Kayla had a bracket all to herself. I assumed the seasoned Coordinator had her bracket's spot in the semifinals reserved. And so did I.

Wes let out a sigh. His face could not be found. I reached over to pat his shoulder. "Next time, remember?"

"Hmph!" said Burgundy, moving in front of all of us and turning around. "Will, good luck to you. But be warned, because I plan not to lose! Because-"

She grinned, and her eyes gleamed, "It's Evaluation Time, _s'il vous plait_!"

The all too familiar sensation of my muscles locking up returned unexpectedly. Had all movement not been restricted, I would've screamed.

It took me a few seconds to figure it out, but I did.

Burgundy had accidentally discovered my trigger phrase.

In French.

* * *

**Yet another revelation! I'll be quite honest, I had no idea Burgundy's catch phrase was Will's trigger phrase in French until about a week ago. Well, that fits perfectly!**

**So, the Verdanturf Town Contest has begun, with Will, Burgundy, Kayla, and Jillian moving on to the next round. And if all goes well, Will and Burgundy's bet will be decided in Round 2. Who will win? And what will happen now that Burgundy has tripped Will's trigger phrase, and doesn't even know it!? Find out next time!**

**Okay, story time real quick. A few days ago I got into an argument via PM with a fictional villain in a Fanfiction that I really like (I totally won). This sparked the author, Coli Chibi, to create the "Ask the Character" segment, which we agreed I could adopt and not take full credit. Seriously though, I was just being obnoxious. He had the idea.**

**But what it is is that you can ask any question to any character in this story, and I'll hand my account temporarily over to them so they can answer. Be it Will, Burgundy, Wes, Juno, anyone! Just don't go too overboard, k?**

**Reader Question time! What is your favorite thing to do during the summertime? For me its always a good time to be with friends. **

**So, answer, ask and review, and see you next time!**


	62. Chapter 62: Tight Lipped

**Previously on Revelations:**

**The Verdanturf Town Contest kicked off to a roaring start! Will, Burgundy, Wes, Jillian, and even Kayla were in attendance, putting their Pokemon on display for judging in the First Round. All made it through except for Wes, who's strategy went off with a few hitches (namely raining hot mud down on the spectators). Now, the other four have moved on, and prepare to participate in Contest Battles in hopes of taking home the Ribbon. Will and Burgundy's bet is on the line as well, and their own battle looms not too far away. Will they make it that far? Find out now!**

* * *

In their civilian disguises, Carly and Jake sat in the cafeteria are watching Will, Burgundy, Wes, and Kayla. So far, all of their Pokémon had performed admirably in the style department.

Except for Wes's of course. In Carly's opinion the boy should really stick to Pokémon research.

Thinking of targets, Carly unconsciously bit her lip (albeit to hard, causing her to flinch). Kayla, being the senior Coordinator was bound to win. The problem being though that she was in her element. If Carly and her associates made a grab for Kayla's winning Pokémon, it might not end well for them.

That outcome was also double the risk for Carly herself. Kayla seemed to specialize in Grass-Types and Carly was violently allergic to every form of "Powder" attack.

The second most likely candidate she had pegged down was not William Grey, but Burgundy. Her experience as a Connaisseuse was no pushover for being helpful in this competition. If she won her friends wouldn't be too far behind her in the event of trouble.

And then there was Grey himself. Without explanation you can see why he was off limits.

_Plus_, Carly noted, _he has the tendency to go berserk and break things when he gets mad…_

Jake must've seen her eyeing down the Trainers and wondered about her thought process. "So, you got any ideas?"

A finger stopped curling Carly's hair nervously. "I can't really think of anything besides a straightforward attack…and that doesn't look to promising."

Her comrade shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Well, we've gotta come up with something. Courtney'll tan our hides if we come back empty-handed."

While he had been talking Carly took a sip of her soda and hurried to finish so she could speak. "Well, I hear Illumise are native to the area. We could get her one of those. I mean, they're cute and they're not very strong…"

"Just man up," said Jake, rolling his eyes.

Carly scoffed. "Uh, I'm a _girl_! And you have no idea the stuff I've been through, and if you did you'd understand my caution!"

Jake threw his hands up in mock defense. "Hey, calm down! It's just a little heist; it's gonna be simple! We know our enemies, and we know how to avoid them! Every little thing isn't out to get you, ya know."

About to snap back angrily Carly slammed her fists down on the table. Her right fist slammed down slightly before the other, knocking over a bottle of mustard. The left fist slammed down on said mustard, squirting it into Carly's eyes.

…

"And we're back with the 17th Annual Verdanturf Town Pokémon Contest!" The announcer was superseded by a round of cheering from the spectators, having returned from the fifteen minute break in between rounds.

Heading onto the stage already were the first two to battle in this round: Megan and her opponent Burgundy. Once they took opposite places at the end of the field, the announcer continued.

"First up we have Megan Darcy of Slateport City! So far she's won two Ribbons in this years Grand Cup, and hopes to add today's to her collection. We wish her luck!"

Megan waved to the crowd. "And her opponent for today; she's new to Contests but not to the concept, it's the Empress of Evaluation: Burgundy Cabernet!"

I scratched my chin for a moment. "Cabernet…I thought she said her last name was Chestelle…"

She too seemed unsure about what the announcer had just said. Burgundy bit her lip and fidgeted with her dress at the mention of her last name. In her other hand she took out her Pokéball.

"For those who aren't aware of the rules, here they are! The clock is set for five minutes, and our fine Coordinators have two goals: stay alive and look as fabulous as possible. Each will start with a set value of points-"

Portraits of Megan and Burgundy appeared on the screen, and a thick yellow line snaked around each one, enveloping it in a thick yellow circle.

"-attacks will be score based on style, and due points will be taken away from the opponent. Whoever has the most points at the end of the five minutes is the victor! Alternatively, the battle will end if one Coordinator runs out of points, as well as the less stylish method of knocking the opposing Pokémon out!"

Burgundy smirked. "_Douleur_, how sad for poor Megan. I've so much style to spare and I haven't even started yet! Like comparing a biscuit to a wedding cake!"

She spun the ball in her hand, and struck that all too familiar pose. "Prepare yourself, Megan, because it's E-"

I jolted and stuck my fingers in my ears. Burgundy finished her little routine and I sighed, finding myself unaffected.

During the break I had tried my best to figure this thing out. Team Plasma must've coded my phrase so that they could say it in any language. It made sense I thought that they'd do that. Say someone needed to trip me and stay in character, they could just say it in a completely different dialect.

Something else made me…I'm not sure how I want to feel about it. Burgundy saying my code in French held the same effect as it would otherwise: locking me up tight. But it didn't last as long, and fighting it allowed me to break free sooner.

So that either meant it was design flaw…or I was breaking free.

I looked back up to the TV screen on the wall just in time for Burgundy to finish her Evaluation. "And so, I begin! Togepi, _se manifester!_"

"Toke toke!" The jubilant egg Pokémon appeared in a bright flash, ready to perform. Adverse to Scout, Togepi loved being surrounded by people and bright lights. She ate the attention up, smiling and waving her stubby little arms.

Rocking back on her heels, Kayla bit her lip. "Is Burgundy sure about this? I mean, Togepi isn't even a year old yet."

This caused me to snort. "Pandora isn't even a _day _old yet, and I'm using her," I said as I rested my hands atop my head. "This is just practice. You know, for fun. To give our Pokémon a little time in the spotlight, no pun intended."

"Hm, I guess that makes sense she'd use Togepi then," said Kayla, tapping her lip. "But that's just the thing: for some people, this isn't just fun. For some like me this is our career. I wouldn't be surprised if Megan wins due to her taking it more seriously than Burgundy."

Another snort. "Then you obviously don't know Burgundy."

On the screen, Megan launched her Pokéball. "Electrike, I choose you!"

Onto her side of the stage came a small green canine. Its fur was lime green, and nature obviously intended this little guy to take after lightning. Its tail, head, and fur patterns all had bolt style designs.

I took Dex out of my pocket and hoped he accepted visuals. I pointed him at the screen and pressed his button, waiting a second.

"You take that everywhere with you?" asked Kayla with a grin.

"You don't?" I came back, gazing at the screen as it flipped open.

_Electrike_

_The Lightning Pokémon_

_Using electricity stored in its fur, it stimulates its muscles to heighten its reaction speed._

Scrolling down, I studied a few more facts and stats about Electrike. One thing I found to be both troubling and interesting was that these creatures specialized in speed. A little stub of a Pokémon like Togepi would present a pretty easy target for this Electrike.

"Both contestants have selected their Pokémon! Are the judges ready!"

All three judges gave a thumbs-up, and a loud buzz rang out through the Contest hall. "Begin!"

Megan was first to attack, not skipping a beat. Her decisiveness combine with eh actual speed o the Pokémon she commanded would be deadly. "Electrike, Spark!"

Electrike howled and was blanketed in an aura of blue electricity. Snarling, the Pokémon charged forward.

"Amazing! Just look at the speed and ferocity of Electrike, combined with the beauty of the attack!"

Burgundy didn't react nervously as per usual. Confidently, she ordered, "Togepi, Wish, _s'il vous plait!_"

_Darn it! _I cursed as I was caught unawares and locked up. On the bright side, I had been looking up at the screen, so I remained doing so.

Togepi pirouetted, sparkling dots shooting out of the tips of her arms. Electrike rushed by and brushed right past the spinning Togepi, causing no damage.

Up on the screen, the yellow circle around Megan thinned a bit as points were subtracted. With unparalleled speed Electrike flipped around and prepped for round two.

"Togepi, now use Attract!" Togepi stopped spinning, and both hands flew to her mouth. She made a loud smooching noise, and then blew. A heart shaped cloud of pheromones floated towards Electrike and exploded in his face.

Electrike's vision blurred, but quickly cleared. What he now saw was Togepi, standing with one hand behind her head and another at her hip like some sort of old-timey model. Togepi was now wearing extravagant makeup. Everything was red, and hearts floated everywhere.

Out in the real world, Electrike's tongue dropped to the ground. Megan looked horrified: I suspected Attract was a move commonly used in Contests.

"Oh, and Electrike is hopelessly smitten by Togepi's Attract! It's love at first sight, but it may by Megan's last battle today, folks!"

"Electrike, snap out of it!" cried Megan, her hands on her cheeks. "Use Bite!"

Instead of doing that Electrike slowly padded over to Togepi and plopped down on the ground, sniffing her affectionately. A large sum of points removed themselves from Megan's side of the board.

A maniacal grin spread itself across Burgundy's face, making me pity every man who had ever wronged Burgundy. Perhaps this was some form of poetic justice…

"Togepi darling, Mega Punch!" Togepi heaved her arm into Electrike's jaw, sending the Lightning Pokémon flying behind her.

Oddly enough, Electrike remained in the air for the exact amount of time that points were being subtracted from Megan.

When he landed, Cupid's arrow was still firmly stuck in his behind as he just laid upside down staring at Togepi.

The buzzer rang just as Megan was about to huff out another command. She cursed beginners luck and recalled Electrike.

"And just like that, folks, Burgundy flawlessly wins her first ever Contest Battle! Contestants beware, she's no pushover."

Togepi ran over to her Trainer and leapt into her arms just as the Wish from before took effect, exploding like a firework in the air. Burgundy cheered and spun Togepi around in her arms. "Who's Mommy's little heartbreaker? You are! Yes you are!"

Kayla stretched and sighed. "I think Togepi's still a bit young for Electrike, don't you."

I was still frozen and could not respond. "Will?"

"Mm hm."

…

After Burgundy's battle, the bracket went all the way over to the other side to Kayla's battle. Her Pokémon was a familiar face: Roselia. She performed quite admirably considering her relatively short time being on Kayla's team, but managed to pull through in the end, even against a Type disadvantage.

Which brings us to my first battle. As you should know by now I used Pandora as a means to introduce her to the battling trade.

My opponent, Carl, used a Wurmple. The little guy proved to be much faster than I had anticipated, avoiding many of our attacks and even escaping via jump from atop Pandora's head-jaws.

Though this cost us a few points, we had gotten our fair amount of shots in, bringing the score to about even. Which brings us to now…

"Pandora, Sucker Punch!" I commanded. My Deceiver Pokémon's fist glowed purple, and she summersaulted into the air, poising to strike.

"Wurmple, dodge!" cried Carly, and the little red Bug-Type did as ordered. Pandora's fist sunk into the stage, and I suspected if she wasn't a Steel-Type, that would've hurt.

Much like an actual ponytail, Pandora's head-jaws flipped up into the air when jostled. After her leap they had uncontrollably flown up, which Carl chose to exploit.

"Wurmple, String Shot!" he yelled, pointing at the head-jaws. Wurmple had an easy vantage point, as it had been rising up and behind Pandora due to the leap.

_TWAP! _Pandora's head-jaws were bound, and the added weight of the sticky adhesive slammed them into the ground. Due points were taken from me.

"Pandora, you know what to do!" This trick I hadn't even really needed to teach her. It was in her nature as a Deceiver Pokémon, after all.

Pandora fell right on the ground and began bawling. Tears flowed out of her eyes like a sprinkler, and her wails echoed through the Contest Hall.

Wurmple stopped, its eyes softening compassionately. "Worm?" it offered, slinking close to the "wounded" Pandora.

Carl caught on a millisecond too late. "Wurmple, wait!"

But the trap had been sprung. Pandora whipped her head-jaws around, slamming Wurmple into the wall.

"Oh, that had to hurt! I'll be honest folks, that had _me _fooled for a minute there!"

A large amount of points were subtracted from Carl, and finished just as the buzzer rang. His total was just below mine.

"And it's William, scraping by with the victory! He'll be moving on to the next round to fight Burgundy, so stick around! Match #3 of Round 2 will be off soon!"

…

I returned to the Contestants area to take a brief break and get some water. The tuxedo got a little stuff after a while, and so I took the jacket part off and loosened my tie. I leaned facing a wall, my right arm pushing against it and my left holding my water bottle.

"Funny how thing work, eh _mon ennemi_?" Burgundy approached from behind me, smug as ever. I grinned at her approach and put down my water bottle.

"I guess so," I said as I turned to face her.

Burgundy tossed her hair. "Tell me, Will, how do you feel about shopping?"

My eyes narrowed to slits. Declaring victory already, are you? "Impartial…"

"Well, I'd get used to it." She chuckled evilly and left. "I'll see you on the battlefield!"

I bit my lip, grappling over whether I should tell her or not what she had discovered without actually discovering it. "Burgundy, wait."

She stopped. "What is it?"

"Th-there's something I need to tell you…"

Her expression softened. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine, it's just…no, I'll tell you later."

Burgundy took a few steps closer to me. "Will, seriously, if something is wrong you can tell me. I'll always be here for you, you know."

I honestly contemplated telling her for a moment, but decided against it. There would be a time and a place, and here and now were not it. "No reason to put a damper on your spirit. It's nothing major, I'll tell you later."

"Oh," she said, clearing her throat and making herself taller. "In that case, prepare to be defeated, William Grey! I shall be victorious!"

* * *

**Well, looks like Carly and Jake are having a good time. And so are Will, Burgundy, Kayla, and Jillian, who were all victorious in their first battles. Will and Burgundy are up next, and their bet will be determined. Is Burgundy's style superior to Will's Trainer skills, or does Will's choice of Pandora already have victory clenched in steely jaws. Find out next time!**

**Reader Question: What is your favorite non-Nintendo franchise? You should all know mine by now...and it's not X COM...**

**Review!**


	63. Chapter 63: Wager

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Jake and Courtney plotted to steal Pokemon from the Verdanturf Contest as Burgundy and Will won their respective battles. In between those and their next one, which would decide their bet, Will considered telling Burgundy about his "problem" but chickened out at the last second. Now, the battle is about to begin. Who will win? When will Burgundy find out about Will's problem and how will she react? Find out now!**

* * *

Grimlock regretted not being able to fly to his destination, but it couldn't be helped. The thick underbrush of the forest forced him to run instead of fly, though he did flap his blade wings every once in a while, gaining some distance and slashing apart any fauna that would dare challenge him.

Keeping good pace with him was the Lotad, who skittered along on his six stubby legs, the amount of which made up for their lack of size.

As Grimlock went on the screaming became more discernible. Grimlock could now safely say that the person owning the scream was a young girl, no older than his Trainer-

_No, _said Grimlock to himself, shaking his head. _I've yet to decide whether or not he retains that title…_

Finally he broke through a thicket of bushes and skidded out into a clearing. Cowering on the ground was a girl who looked to be about eleven or twelve. She had crawled backwards until she had reached a stump, which she now struggled to use in an effort to stand.

Wondering why she was on the ground didn't last for long. Grimlock noted her swollen right ankle: she had twisted it while running from the Mightyena that was snarling and slowly approaching her.

"Please, Shiftry, help!" she cried, a tear glistening on her cheek. Over at the other end of the clearing was a Shiftry, defiantly leaning up against a large rock. It raised its long nose in the air as a sign of defiance.

The Mightyena howled one last time, and then leapt, teeth bared. The girl shrieked and covered her face.

There was a flash of silver and Grimlock was suddenly in front of her. His wing glowed for a Steel Wing attack, and he backhanded (or rather, back _winged_) the Mightyena away.

The mongrel beast landed on its side and was quick to get back up. The ferocity in its eyes and the foam dripping from its mouth signaled something very wrong with it…

Letting out one last howl it slunk back into the forest requiring no discouragement from Grimlock.

The girl sniffled and heaved herself up onto the stump and sighed with relief. "Thank you for saving me."

Grimlock nodded and looked over to the Shiftry. Their eyes briefly met, but the Shitry's quickly shut in an effort to seem inconspicuous.

The girl caught on the Grimlock was looking at it. "That's my Shiftry. He…doesn't always listen…"

Heavy metal clanked as Grimlock stomped angrily over towards it. Shiftry opened its eyes slowly and pretended to notice Grimlock for the first time. It opened its mouth to speak, but was given no chance.

In a flash Grimlock's right wing had fanned out, and stabbed into the rock it leaned up against. Two of the wing blades separated just the width of Shiftry's neck, and pinned the Wicked Pokémon to the rock.

"L-lemmie go," it choked, trying to force Grimlock's wings open. It was nowhere near strong enough.

Grimlock hissed and leaned forward. "Listen, buddy. If it weren't for me, she'd be _dead_! If I hadn't been here, you'd have sat here being self-righteous and she would have died! Listen to your Trainer, or else you'll be hearing from me."

With a sound resembling a sword being sheathed, Grimlock removed his wing blades and stalked away. The Shiftry fell to the ground, rubbing its neck. "You ain't the boss of me!" he croaked.

"Yeah, well your Trainer i-" And then it dawned on Grimlock. He refused to finish that sentence, for if he did he himself would've been a hypocrite.

In his opinion Will might not be as good as Emily was, but Will was is Trainer nonetheless. He'd respect the human's wishes no matter what.

He deserved that much respect. After all, the skinny little thing had the bravado to stand up to _him_!

Behind Grimlock the distant bushes began to rustle. In human language, not Pokémon, he heard, "I think I heard the cries coming from over here!"

Grimlock nodded to the Lotad. "You make sure she gets taken care of, alright?"

"You've got it!" squeaked the younger Pokémon, scuttling over to the girl and allowing himself to be used as a footrest for her injured ankle.

With a mighty flap of his wings Grimlock took off into the air, bound back for Verdanturf Town. If Lotad had arms he'd be waving goodbye, but instead he simply smiled at the Skarmory's shrinking form.

"You're so sweet!" said the girl, moving her broken ankle so that it was most comfortable. A thought struck her, and she reached into her pocket and pulled out an empty Pokéball. "You don't have a Trainer, do you Lotad?"

…

"Welcome to the first match of Round 2! Our contestants: Will vs. Burgundy!"

Wes and Emile inched their way through the row to their seats next to Wes's mom and Professor Newman. Emile came empty-handed, but was had a box of popcorn in eat hand, two corndogs protruding through his fingers, and a milkshake.

He plopped down in a seat next to his mother, and before he could even speak she had reached over and grabbed most of the food.

"Gee, Mom," said a confused Wes, "This sure is a lot of food…sure you're gonna eat it all?"

"Mm hm," she said, nodding happily with a mouth full of popcorn. She had gotten so hungry all of a sudden…

Wes leaned over to talk to Alex. "How long-"

"About a week or two," Alex said nervously. Beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead. "You see-"

Just then the lights dimmed and Alex breathed a sigh of relief, taking no leisure in elaning back forward. "Oh look, the next match is about to start!"

Wes sat back too, albeit skeptically. He wasn't about to let this one go…

But right now his focus was on his two best friends who were now taking opposite ends of the field and preparing to battle. Their portraits appeared on the screen as they took out their Pokéballs and prepared to battle.

"_Allons-y!_" she said excitedly, spinning in a circle. Light reflected off of her fiery dress and danced all around the arena. "It's time for reckoning, William Grey! Prepare to answer for your crimes!"

"What crimes?" I asked jokingly, "Like, being good? If that's it, you might as well take me in right now, because…"

Burgundy was quick to thrust a hand out. "Enough talk!" she said, flippantly taking out her Pokéball. "Our Pokémon shall talk for us! Isn't that right, Togepi?"

She hurled her ball into the air, and Togepi appeared in a bright flash, spinning down and landing stylishly on one foot with both arms in the air.

I smirked and took out my own ball. "I couldn't agree more. Let's go, Pandora!"

My Mawile landed on the ground and twirled, winking a she finished. Both baby Pokémon stared each other down: Togepi n a friendly and excited manner, and Pandora in a tactile and deceitful manner.

"Both contestants have selected their Pokémon! The timer is set for five minutes, and we shall begin!"

"Ladies first!" Burgundy announced before ordering, "Togepi, Attract."

I snorted. Her lack of foresight and "jump-the-gun" attitude would cost her points. But I'd let her figure that out.

Togepi blew her kiss, and the heart shaped bubble of pheromones floated towards Pandora. She simply stood there looking uninterested until the bubble exploded against her.

Nothing happened.

"W-wha?" said Burgundy, scratching her head.

"Oh, it appears that Burgundy failed to realize that Mawile is a girl! Attract has no effect on Pokémon of the same gender, and so that's gonna cost her some points!"

Burgundy stomped on the ground. "Arg, I'll get you for that, Will!"

"For what!?" I asked her whilst laughing, "You did it!" I tried to shake off the irony of the situation and continue on. "Pandora, use Crunch!"

"Woyl!" cried Pandora, lunging forth. She ran at a very admirable speed considering the giant head-jaw that she had to carry.

Pandora stopped and skidded a few inches, her head-jaws flipping over her skull due to momentum. The snapped Togepi up, kicking and screaming.

"And Mawile lands a powerful hit on Togepi! Will she be able to break free?"

"Oh course she will!" cried Burgundy, her frustration and surprise being replaced with grandeur and bravado. Now _that's _the Burgundy I know and love. "Togepi, Mega Punch!"

Togepi raised a stubby fist and slammed it down on the top of Pandora's cranium. Pandora stumbled a bit and a few points were taken from me, but her Steel-Type allowed some of the damage from the Normal-Type attack to be snuffed up.

"Tighten up, Panny!" I said. If I kept Togepi trapped like that the whole match, I'd be able to drain the points away and win. "Use Crunch again!"

Since Togepi was already in Pandora's jaws it was just a simple matter of tightening up. Eager to get revenge for the Mega Punch, Pandora grinned as she temporarily released Togepi, only to snap her right back up.

"Oh, this isn't looking too good for Togepi! Or Burgundy! Just look at all the points she's losing!"

Burgundy bit her lip. She wasn't about to let me have it just yet, that was for certain. "Togepi, use Mega Punch again!"

"No you don't!" I yelled back quickly. "Pandora, drop Togepi and use Sucker Punch!"

Pandora let Togepi loose and leapt back, brining herself into perfect position to send a Sucker Punch into Togepi's gut. The rotund little Pokémon rolled almost all the way back to Burgundy.

She looked up at the scoreboards. She was at about half of her points, while I was a bit less than seventy five percent.

Burgundy weighed her options. Neither Pokémon were particularly faster than one another, but those jaws on Pandora could really snap something up if they wanted to. Getting in close wasn't a viable option.

Thinking of nothing else to do Burgundy simply yelled, "Togepi, I believe in you! You can do it!"

The second Togepi got to her feet, she began to glow.

Up in the stands Wes leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Well, evolution comes at last to Togepi…"

"Things sure are getting interesting," agreed Emile.

"Speaking of which," said Ms. Oak, holding her cup in her right hand and twirling her wrist. "Wesley dear, could you please get me a refill?"

The boy sighed, and then snatched the cup from his mother.

Back on the field Togepi's evolution was going slowly. The round shape of Togepi's body began to shrink and her body elongated as she developed a neck.

I could tell Pandora had an idea, as she leaned forward and began and prepared to lunge. I held up a hand. "No, Pandora, we do not attack now. It isn't right."

"Humph." Pandora crossed her arms and pouted as the transformation went through its final stages. What appeared to be…wings…popped out of Togepi's back.

The bubble of light exploded. What now stood there was a Pokémon about double Togepi's height. Its body was smaller but retained the same patterns of red and blue triangles. It had a long neck and a crown topped head.

And sure enough, a pair of fairy wings protruded from its back.

"Tao keh!" it cried happily and floated a few inches into the air to test out its now flying apparatus.

"Amazing! This is the first mid-battle evolution in Verdanturf Contest history!"

Careful not to waste any battle time I pulled out Dex and keyed the button for a Pokédex entry.

_Togetic_

_The Happiness Pokémon_

_To share its happiness, it flies around the world seeking kind- hearted people._

Burgundy cupped her hands and pressed her chin against her knuckles, staring lovingly at her new Pokémon. "_Magnifique! _This new ingredient in our glorious recipe has made us all the more compatible! I do believe that it's E-"

"No!" I yelled assertively. "No you freakin' don't! Pandora, Crunch."

Rolling her eyes at the fact that I was ready _now_, Pandora lurched forward. Her jaw snapped at Togetic, who smiled jubilantly and hovered just out of Pandora's reach.

This annoyed the living daylights out of Pandora. _Smug little…I had no idea it could fly! _She clenched her fists and steam virtually flew off of her. _No one deceives the Deceiver Pokémon!_

Now that Togetic had taken flight, so had Burgundy's ego. Prior to her belief, wings didn't prevent you from avoiding all the hits. "Togetic darling, go in for a Mega Punch."

"Tao keh tao!" squealed Togetic, brandishing her fist happily and diving in.

Right into my trap. "Pandora, use Crunch again!"

Before Togetic could even get within punching range she was snapped up within Pandora's jaw. Excitement welled up in me. I was this close to winning…I just needed to hold for a little longer.

I had backed Burgundy into a corner, and she knew it. And so the Connaisseuse pulled out her secret weapon. Her last resort (not to be confused with the move Last Resort. Togetic didn't know that).

"Togetic, use Metronome!" cried Burgundy, crossing both her fingers and her feet in hopes it would improve her chances of getting a helpful move.

And I will never acknowledge that as why it worked.

Togetic wagged its arms back and forth the best it could, Pandora's restriction not allowing for much wiggle room. But she moved then nonetheless, and the glowing faded from Togetic's fingertips.

One second, Pandora was grinning malevolently, victory at hand. The next, she was jittering and convulsing wildly. Her grip loosened and Togetic wasted no time in bailing, flying high up into the air.

"Amazing! Togetic's Metronome allowed it the one-time use of a Thunder Wave attack, shocking Mawile and giving it time to escape.

Pandora fell to the ground, hate and pain sharing space on her face. She tried to get up, but felt a shock and fell right back down on her belly.

The buzzer rang. Pandora had not quite been taken out, but the five minutes had been up. Burgundy's last maneuver on my mind, I reluctantly looked up at the scoreboard.

Both of our yellow circles had receded past half, but one more than the other. If Pandora had held on to Togetic for a second longer, Burgundy would not have won.

But, that's the way the cookie crumbles. I smiled as I accepted defeat and was a good sport for the spectators, but shuddered when thinking about what Burgundy had in store for me.

* * *

**Looks like Grimlock has learned an important lesson. And so has Will: never risk a bet with Burgundy. Next time on Revelations, the Contest reaches a surprising end and Burgundy finds out about Will's problem. Stay tuned!**

**Okay, so, Reader Question! I've asked a similar question before, but now it's different (I love doing these by the way). What would the opening be like for an anime of Book 2 of the Plasma Saga? I love to hear how you guys perceive my stuff.**

**So, answer, review, ask questions! Bye!**


	64. Chapter 64: Confidence

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Burgundy face off! The battle at first seemed balance until Burgundy's Togepi evolved into Togetic and things heated up! For a moment it even seemed that victory was clenched in Pandora's steely jaws, but Burgundy pulled a from behind win with her final gambit: Metronome. It yielded a useful move tot he situation, breaking the Mawile's grip and winning Burgundy the battle (and the bet). What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

Burgundy sighed as she enjoyed the fruits of her victory, reclining on a cushioned bench in the competitor's lounge. Namely, those fruits were me massaging her shoulders.

Emile had gone to the bathroom, and Wes was currently with his mother, leaving the two of us alone. I decided it was time to talk.

"Uh, hey, Burgundy," I said meekly, unsure how to approach this. "There's something I need to tell you…"

"Can you do it while you work?" she asked sweetly. "I have a Contest to win, and I could use the focus."

I sighed and couldn't help but smile. Classic Burgundy…I shook off the thoughts. "Listen, Burg, you know how a while back I Johto I told you all that stuff about what Team Plasma did to me?"

"Yeah…" she said quizzically, slowly raising one of her hands and putting it on my own to signal me to stop. She then looked me in the eyes and asked, "Will, is something wrong?"

"Kind of…" I moaned, slumping down next to her. "You see, they have this trigger phrase that they can use to control me. I'm trying my best to resist it…but so far nothing much has come…"

"And what does this have to do with me?" she asked in a caring done of voice. She took my hand and placed her own in it. "I know you must be going through a lot, what with Juno and everything else, but I'm here for you when you need it."

My heart was unsure whether or not it should inflate with happiness or sink. I never had any doubts that Burgundy was on my side throughout this, but I didn't want to drag her into my own problems.

Dragging my friends past the point of no return with me to face down some kind of crazy evil now or whatever rested around the corner after that would accomplish what? They can't do some of the things I can…and…

And I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to them because of me. I'd become a complete wreck.

I sighed, ready to come clean. "You…kind of discovered it…"

"Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, "Well, what is it?"

"Well I can't _say it_!" I said, rolling my eyes. "Actually, I'm not sure whether or not it works if I say it, but…oh never mind. It's like…" I spun my hands in a wheel motion as I tried to put my thoughts into words. "You know, that little catch phrase you do when you do Evaluation Time."

She jolted as she knew what I meant. "Oh, you mean s-"

I made a sound resembling a brief choke and tapped my nose, too desperate to let that slip. Burgundy tilted her head to the side and tapped her chin, thinking.

"So what you're saying is that I could make you do _whatever I want_ _whenever I want?_" Her eyes drifted upwards as she tapped her fingers together and plotted.

"Please don't," I moaned, truly distraught and not joking. "You can't let anyone know either. And it's not like you can't tell me what to do already."

Burgundy snickered. "That's right. I would've thought your code phrase would've involved Addison!"

She leaned back laughing and I couldn't help but moan again. While amidst a sea of self-pity I felt a delicate hand on my shoulder.

"Hey," said Burgundy winking at me. "What am I if not a confidential? Your secret is safe with me. Now I've gotta go!"

She pecked me quickly on the cheek and was off to prepare for her next Contest battle. It took me a full minute and a half to realize that I had been rubbing my cheek slowly and watching her go.

…

"CJ, Pandora, come out!"

Light flashed from the Pokéball clasped in each hand, and my two leading ladies popped out of their balls. CJ clasped her hands and looked at me expectantly. Pandora simply yawned from both mouths.

It killed me to let CJ down but being an Emotion Pokémon she knew that we had lost even before I showed any signs. Her shoulders slumped as well.

"I'm sorry guys," I said as I rubbed my arm. "I mean, Burgundy is really good at this, but if I had just-"

_"And next will be Battle #10: Burgundy versus Jillian!"_

I casually turned to glance at the monitor and failed to notice the sly grin that crept across Pandora's face as I did.

Immediately she doubled over and fell on one knee, letting out a yelp of pain.

CJ was confused and didn't catch onto Pandora's scheme, falling right into her trap.

I whirled around and saw a most incriminating scene. Pandora looked to be in pain whilst CJ had reached out to help her and hence making it look like she herself had struck the blow.

She caught on and put on a furious face for Pandora, and inadvertently buried herself even deeper.

Sadly I myself did not caught on and blamed the wrong party. And my anger was tenfold after her prior disobedience as well as Grimlock's.

"CJ! I expect better from you!" I bellowed as I became red in the face. "It wasn't Pandora's fault that we lost, it was mine!"

"Kirlia, kirl kirl!" she shrieked, waving her hands. _No, you don't understand! It was-_

I whipped her Pokéball back out. "Yeah, you should be ashamed! You're the big girl in this situation, CJ! I'm above physical punishment, but I think you just need time to think about what you've done!"

She saw no more sense and protesting, and slumped down in defeat. The last thing she saw before being sucked into the virtual reality inside the Pokéball was Pandora's evil grin.

…

Pandora yawned as she toddled out of the Contest Hall. _Another day, another wretch discredited…time for a nap…_

Blinking lazily Pandora scanned the landscape. Not too far from the hall near the tree line was a pretty Cherri Berry bush.

Deciding it was a nice place to nap as Cherri Berry bushes were notoriously soft, Pandora made her way over and settled in.

…

I returned to the stands just as Jillian and Burgundy were taking their places on the stage. Easing my way past filled seats, I made my way to where Wes, Emile, and Professor Newman were sitting.

"Where's your mom?" I asked Wes whilst I sat in my chair.

"Nora was feeling a little sick, so she excused herself to the ladies room," Professor Newman filled me in.

Wes grunted and reclined in his chair. "Probably from all the food she ate before…"

"She's on vacation, man," said Emile as he flicked Wes in the back of the head and grinned. "A lab can be very stressful."

"Yeah, like you would know, Mr. Ranger," said Wes with a smirk. Emile prepared a rebuttal and I even readied myself to chime in, but we all fell silent and looked forward as the lights in the audience dimmed.

Burgundy kissed her Pokéball and let it fly with a stylish flick of her wrist. "Togetic, _mon ami_, it is time to take the stage!"

The speckled Happiness Pokémon emerged from her Pokéball, doing a flip as she flaunted her new set of wings.

"Go, Gengar!" squeaked Jillian. Out popped her Gengar. It looked different from before though. It was a darker, murkier shade of purple.

I knew a thing or two about Gengar, and they didn't change color like that.

My body was overtaken by an involuntary shudder as I recalled a horrible childhood experience. I tried to shake it off and focus on the Contest.

There was a dispute up in the booth. Bickering could faintly be heard from the loudspeaker. "Um, it appears that Jillian has violated Rule #17 and used the same Pokémon as she did in the opening, and-"

There was more muttering and the announcer came back. "Actually, this is a different Gengar. A shiny one, in fact!"

That brought a significant uproar from the crowd. Shiny Pokémon were a big deal in general. It made sense that of all people, a Coordinator would flaunt it.

"Good luck, sweetie!" Prof. Newman shouted through cupped hands. Jillian blew her father a kiss, and unknown to most of us, shot Wes the evil eye. He gripped the arm of his chair even tighter.

"Now, let's see if Jillian can put such an aesthetically pleasing Pokémon to good use! Begin!"

"Excuse us! Mind if we interrupt!"

Down from above us shot what appeared to be a massive spring with a claw attached to the bottom. It reached the stage and clasped onto Togetic. The small white Pokémon let out a startled squeak.

"Togetic, no!" cried Burgundy as she bolted for the contraption. Unfortunately she had dressed for presentation, not action. The Connaisseuse tripped on her high heels and fell painfully on her knee.

The claw was retracted and another shot out at Gengar. Jillian shrieked as her prized Pokémon was snatched right from under her nose.

I jumped up out of my seat and turned around. Up at the top of the arena behind the spotlights were two figures, both dressed in uniforms I knew far too well: Team Magma. One of the grunts, a girl, looked oddly familiar.

Spotlights from the other end of the stadium shined on them. The girl winced at the sudden addition of light to her background. I now fully acknowledged her as one of the grunts I had captured at Meteor Falls.

The guy held large blocky launchers in each arm, the large claws protruding from each barrel. "Sorry to interrupt folks, but let's face it: these things are dreadfully boring. So we figured 'Hey, why not take the chance to nab two rare Pokémon, two nice looking and wonderfully performing ones at that?'"

He grinned manically and patted one of the small cages beside him. Squished inside was Gengar, who looked up at him with malice. Togetic was trapped in the other, unconscious. The shock must've knocked her out.

And if it turned out to have been something other than shock, Burgundy would flip her stuff.

"You aren't getting away with this!" I cried as my hands flew for a Pokéball. "Grimlock, I-"

If this were an anime an accented bubble would've temporarily flashed around Grimlock's ball as I realized it was empty. "O-okay then! Scout, let's go!"

"Vrrrrrrr!" My Vibrava popped out ready for action, but her large lensed eyes swiveled around and noticed all of the flashing lights and people watching.

She flapped her wings hard and sent herself back to me, curling up around my leg and shaking. Jake looked to the cages and then to me before deciding that now would be a good time to go.

He grabbed a cage in each hand and leapt out the window, shattering the glass.

Carly grinned thinking herself smart. She leapt not through a new window but the one that Jake had already broken thinking that she wouldn't get cut.

"Ow, my ankle!" I heard from outside.

I returned Scout to her Pokéball and took out another one as I headed down the aisle to the exit. "Third time's the charm…"

…

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" cried Jake as he rounded the building partially turned to see Carly. "We've gotta get outta here!"

Breathing heavily Carly limped around after her. She had landed standing up on the escape trampoline they had set up and twisted her ankle.

"Slow down…" she panted, "I left my inhaler back at the base…"

The thing that really put pep back in her step was not coaxing from her teammate, but me instead. The doors to the hall burst open, and me from them. Carly saw in my eyes that she'd face far more damage than the trampoline had caused.

"Grunt, come out!" I called desperately to my friend. He landed with a thud on the ground, slapping his thighs sumo style and preparing for battle.

Carly let out a yelp and began to run faster. Jake too realized their new urgency and blew a wolf whistle.

Out of the trees flew a large dragon Pokémon. It was green and tan with a striped tail, hexagonal wings, and red lensed eyes.

Jake tossed the cages into its short arms and they were clasped up in its ivory claws.

"Grunt, use Earthquake!" I commanded, "Trip them up!"

"Hari!" Grunt raised a leg high into the air, and slammed it down onto the ground. Jake swayed as he made his was up onto the Dragon-Type's back but made it nonetheless.

Carly flipped around and began to stumble backwards. Relief came to her as she glanced where she would land out of her peripheral vision. _Phew, a Cherri Berry bush. They're notoriously soft! Looks like my luck is changing…_

A slip second after her body had been enveloped by the soft leaves, she felt something long and hard, like a metal ingot.

Right before pain greater than any she had known filled her body. With the force of a trash compactor clamped down on her rear end.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOWWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

And children I kid you not, the poor grunt was catapulted ten feet into the air, kicking her legs with her hands planted firmly on her rear.

The Dragon-Type took off, looping its legs under Carly's arms as it flew away. The wounded grunt rubbed her soar behind. "Ouch…I'm not gonna sit right for a week…"

Others from the Contest were now flocking out, Jillian and Burgundy in the lead.

"My Gengar! Is he okay?" cried Jillian, biting her fingernails. "Where's my Gengar!?"

I clenched my fists as I watched them escape into the distance. I had failed…I had failed Jillian, I had failed Burgundy…and that's just who I failed today.

So what I'm getting down on myself!? I can't help it! As I Trainer I let down Grim-

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

"Grimlock!?" I gasped hopefully as my head came back up. A beam of silvery light shot past Team Magma's getaway Pokémon, making it panic and swerve.

This took its attention off of its flight path just long enough for Grimlock to swoop in and attack. His razor sharp wings slashed at the Pokémon's arms, forcing it to drop the cages out of reflex.

A smile bigger than I could remember ever wearing spread across my face as liberation flowed through me. I hadn't failed…

"Grimlock, you came back!" He noticeable winked at me as he turned for another pass.

Carly gulped. "This is gonna hurt…"

I was all pumped up for Grimlock's return as well as our imminent victory that I almost forgot about the cages plummeting towards the earth.

Burgundy shrieked, and her nails dug into my shoulder. "Will, we have to do something!"

We did, and I didn't know how. Scout (if she would even be brave enough to go) would only be able to get one, and I was not in the position to choose. Grunt was too far away to run and catch them, and I'd never be able to send out a new Pokémon in time…

My only hope was Grimlock, and from past experiences I could tell that if he started a job he'd finish it, and that would mean taking down Team Magma and keeping his ego flustered.

Guess there's only one way to find out… "Grimlock, you have to get those cages! Please!"

Without hesitation, without a defiant hiss or otherwise, Grimlock flipped around and dove for the cages.

And I tell you, this was the most accomplished I had felt as a Trainer in my entire life.

…

We had won the day. Despite the cost of Team Magma getting away, we had done it. And the victories extended to multiple degrees. Jillian and Burgundy had gotten their Pokémon back, Grimlock was listening to me…all was well.

Grimlock trotted over to me and stared me firmly in the eyes. Not angrily or with that superiority complex I was used to. Now he seemed to be acknowledging me as an equal. As his Trainer.

And then he bowed his head to apologize. I smiled and place a hand on his snout. "Hey, I know how much listening to authority sucks. I'm a teenager! But I'm glad you had the stuff it took to own up to it and seek forgiveness. That takes ten times the amount of strength or guts it does to defy, to repent."

He nodded, and the second my shoulders titled to turn around, Burgundy tackled me in a hug. "ThankyouthankyouthankyouTHANKYOU!" I could also feel tiny arms wrap my leg as Togetic shared her own obligations.

"Guys, guys, it was nothing really. Grimlock here deserves all the thanks…"

As this went on another small grouping had their own functions and dysfunctions. Wes's mom and Professor Newman stood over Jillian, calming her as she rejoiced over Gengar being alright.

Wes stood behind them, arms crossed. Jillian had already flaunted the attention several times with her evil grins, and now it was just getting annoying.

Ms. Oak finally straightened up from over the younger child and beamed at Wes. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"What?" Wes had been in his own little world for a moment, thinking. That was thing Oaks did very well: blank out. From a combination of sleep in the lab deprivation somehow alerting genes and too much thinking, Oaks often fell into mental trances.

His grandfather had once gotten so drowsy he had been inclined to ask a new Trainer whether or not he was a boy or a girl. Boy, did that become an internet meme…

"Oh, uh…nothing…" Ms. Oak frowned and went to her son.

"Honey, are you worried about me. Because-"

"Mom, is there something wrong!?" Wes had been a bit weary of Ms. Oak's behaviors at the Contest, but he had not suspected something bad. "A-are you okay!?"

She laughed softly as Professor Newman came to her side. The held hands. "Honey, I'm pregnant."

…...

Several miles northeast of Team Grey's current location, in a small desert village, in a large bed inside a rather large house, Amanda Garneau's eyes shot open.

* * *

**Big chapter! Will and Burgundy had another moment, Pandora deceived Will yet again, Will recalled a chilling even from his past, Grimlock returned and is now listening to Will's commands, Wes found out he will soon have a new brother or sister, and Amanda has woken up!**

**How is Will and Burgundy's relationship going to evolve, if at all. And why is Will not a big fan of Gengar? What has happened to Amanda? FInd out next time!**

**The next two things concern stories. First, the rewrite of my original Plasma Saga story will start...soon-ish. It's gonna be a bumped up version; I feel that I kinda rushed through it and that my writing skills have improved. So all be adding to the characters, giving Will's original team some more time in the spotlight, and adding some filler. It wont be annual: in fact, it'll be extremely slow on account that I'll only update whe I feel bored.**

**Second, I'll be starting a short running Pokemon Academy story (OCs accepted. Not yet though). Same thing, it'll be a "rainy day" kinda story. I really love Pokemon Academy stories, so Ima do my own.**

**But that brings me to the Reader Question! Where should said academy be located in your opinion?**

**Ms. Oak: So much good news...review!**


	65. Chapter 65: The Cycle Must Continue

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Burgundy connected as Will informed her of his secret, which she promised to keep. Pandora then once again managed to frame CJ for acts of violence, which Will was oblivious to and blamed the innocent Kirlia. Later, Burgundy and Jillian's Contest battle was interrupted by Carly The Grunt Who Bad Stuff Always Happens Two, who along with her partner Jake, stole the two contestants' Pokemon. Had it not been for Grimlock arriving and finally obeying Will's commands, they would have escaped. What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

With the little show the Team Magma put on and the scare it inflicted upon the residents of Verdanturf, the Contest had to be postponed for a week. We decided that a week was time we didn't want to spend here, and so we resolved upon leaving the next day.

After the announcement of her pregnancy Wes decided to spend the night with her and the rest of his step-family to celebrate. Though he didn't seem to keen and spending time with Jillian…

Burgundy, Emile and I got something to eat and just hung out at the Pokémon Center. Eventually I just decided to turn in. It had been a long day.

I made myself familiar with the soft Pokémon Center bed. Drawing the covers up to my chest, I settled into my favorite sleeping position in anticipation of a peaceful night's sleep, all things considered.

I did not get that.

…

I found myself in a foggy blue-black limbo. _Great…_I thought, _Who wants to talk with me this time?_

Instead of voices I heard something far more terrifying. A hysterical cackle cracked through the fog like a Pin Missile attack.

Although it hadn't quite reached the frequency to make my ears hurt, I covered them and fell to the ground in terror.

"It can't be…" I moaned with my hands clasped against the side of my head. I landed in the fetal position, my forehead touching the ground. "I told you to go away!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" was the chortled response, and the smoke began to curl around me. I almost felt like crying. He was back. After all these years he was back.

My stomach (or at least what represented it in this dream) churned and my mouth tasted foul. Behind me felt like some sort of ominous wind was tugging on my very being, pulling me back.

Slowly turning a jumped at the sight of two gigantic purple clawed hands. Fingers flexing and curling the floated towards me.

"No…" I whispered before clutching my head again. "No! No, no no no no! Go away! Please, leave me alone!"

The hurricane intensified as I began to hyperventilate. Smoke whirled and curled before me and just before the dream faded, the outline of a massive jack-o-lantern like face burst through the fog.

There was a big _FWOOOM!_ Everything shook briefly and then all was still.

My hands were still clutching my skull feverously and I was still shaking. Slowly I brought my hands down and stared up in awe at the giant blue orb floating before me.

Streams of incandescent light were flowing into the giant sphere and making a sound like a gigantic vacuum. That is if vacuums went really, really slow.

The outer edges were a bit lighter than the middle, giving the illusion of a giant reptilian eye. In fact I half expected it to begin whispering, _"Aragorn…Aragorn…"_

It floated there in silence, which it then broke with a deep, rumbling voice. "You hurt. I know you feel this."

Even in my mind my throat felt scratchy and dry. "Wh-who are you?"

"I am that with which you struggle," replied the orb, its motions not deviating in the slightest. "But your struggle is for naught. The Cycle cannot be broken."

I nearly jumped at the mention of the enigmatic occurrence. Ever since Dune it had been swimming in the background of my mind and creating plenty of noise. Now I was presented with a chance to end said noise.

"What is The Cycle?" I yelled back. What sounded like a great raspy breath echoed through the dreamscape.

"You believe comprehending a threat will help to end it. It will not. The Cycle _must _continue. You resist, but it is futile. You are but a grain of dust struggling against cosmic winds."

I gulped. I had no idea what this "Cycle" was, but I was beginning to lean towards the definition of "something bad."

"How have I been 'resisting' it?"

"Combating my minions. Ebbing chaos."

"Chaos?" _So saving the world somehow stopped this thing…and is angering him…_ "I have no choice!" I yelled back. "I'm not gonna stand by while people get hurt!"

The streams of light flowing into the orb suddenly flashed red and thrashed erratically. The ground shook and I stumbled trying to keep balanced.

"The Cycle must continue!" boomed the voice as the quakes continued. "You are not a _threat_ to me. The forces of the universe _bend_ to me!"

Before I could respond it snapped, "Light must be balanced through darkness. The Cycle is your salvation. It is the only solution. I represent order. You represent chaos. You have simply yet to realize it. Whether or not you resist, The Cycle _will _continue. Releasing control."

A bright searing light resonated from the orb. I shielded my eyes as the growing nova enveloped me and ended the dream.

…

I shot up in bed gasping for breath. My hand moved slowly for my throat, which was as dry as a bone. I was coated in a fine layer of sweat. My heart thundered in my chest.

"That was intense…" I whispered to myself as I leaned back in bed. I checked my clock. _2:10 _in the morning. Two my left and right were Wes and Emile, fast asleep in their beds. "That was just a dream, but I show all the signs of physical confrontation."

There was no way I was going back to sleep tonight. Not after what I went through in that dream. And that's just counting the beginning…

But who was that mysterious entity talking to me at the end? I didn't get much, but I think I've figured out that this "Cycle" has happened before, and it's gonna happen again if I don't keep doing what I'm doing.

And what exactly _am _I doing? Is it something specific? Or is it just the act of doing good things? If so, wouldn't that mean The Cycle would be far off from happening? There are more good people in this world besides just me.

I shook my head. This was all so confusing…

A thought popped in. A long shot, but it might work. I almost shot out of bed but froze immediately.

Slowly peeling the covers off of me so I didn't wake Wes or Emile, I slowly crept out of bed towards my backpack on the table across the room.

I reached inside, pulled out two chocolate bars, and proceeded out the door, oblivious to the message light on my Pokégear.

There was someone I needed to talk to.

…

Amanda crawled backwards in bed, not getting very far due to the bedframe. Three hooded figures gazed down at her. The first, sitting in a chair next to her, only wore a loose hood. She could see his whole face.

The woman at the foot of her bed had a mask that covered the top of her face, but Amanda could discern feminine features. To her right was a tall, sullen figure. She could discern nothing from him.

"Well, well," said the man finishing a stroke of his knife on the small piece of wood he whittled on. "Sleeping Beauty is finally awake."

Eyes darting left to right Amanda asked, "Who are you?"

"Relax," said the woman softly. She waved her hands down and sat at the edge of the bed. "We're friends…sis." She giggled to herself.

At the mention of "sis" Amanda nearly jumped. "Y-you aren't really…"

She shook her head. "Nope. A convenient cover, though. Call me Lady."

"Nick," said the marksman. He jerked his thumb at his third companion. "And that's Six. He doesn't talk much."

Six responded with a grunt, shifting positions. Amanda's head swam with questions for the cryptic trio. Her mind began to run down the checklist.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Close to a week," said Nick checking his watch. "Six days, to be exact. Your friends have moved on. They send their regards, but the way."

Amanda didn't blame them for continuing their journey. She was sure though that they stayed for a little while. Albeit leaving her with strangers…no, Lady had claimed to be her sister. That must've fooled them.

"Okay than…what do you want with me?"

"Our boss simply has something for you," Lady responded with a grin. "And offer, really." She motioned to Nick, who pulled a Pokéball out of his pocket. He didn't bother to get up out of the chair as he pressed the button on the end.

The white light extended across the room and faded. "Pory!" exclaimed the polygonal creature that came out. Nick pressed a few buttons on his techno-gauntlet, and the pointed at the Porygon.

Amanda tried to interrupt with another inquiry. "Wha-" Lady pinched her foot to get her attention.

"Patience, sweetie. The Man will explain everything."

The Porygon began to glow, and thousands upon thousands of tiny glowing flecks began to fly off of it. They began to compile on a chair into a giant mass of light, eventually stopping. There was a flash, and then sat a perfect likeness of a charismatic, tuxedo clad mystery man.

The hologram flickered briefly as The Silph Man tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair. His image was being directly projected onto the chair, so since he was sitting in one wherever he was being broadcasted from, it looked like he was here as well.

"You're coming in fine, boss," Nick said into his gauntlet. The Silph Man nodded.

"Thank you, Agent Maren," he responded. He voice crackled like it was coming through a radio. His eyes drifted casually to Amanda in her bed, and he smiled coolly.

"Good morning, Miss Garneau," he said with a voice a smooth as glass. He reached down and produced a pocket watch from his tux pocket and flicked it open. "Or should I say _evening_."

Amanda's fingers gripped the blanket with a mixture of anger and confusion. As an archaeologist she had an uncanny desire to know more, but as a scared girl who had just woken up in a strange place, she was kind ticked that these shadowy figures had just hijacked her life for the moment.

"Who are you?" she asked forcefully with sunken eyebrows. The Silph Man smiled as if he had just been amused by the doings of a child.

"I suspect you think you know how this situation would go," he said, snapping his pocket watch shut. "I'd tell you that I am known by many names, that I've been watching you. Then I'd proceed to tell you my master plan, issue some threats and demands, the like."

He rested his holographic pocket watch on the arm of the chair, and his eyes became much more dour and serious. "That is very much not the case. To the select few who know of my existence, I am simply The Silph Man. I have no evil plan, but one to help you and everyone you know and love. Every man, woman, child and Pokémon on this Earth, in fact."

He leaned back and smiled, crossing his legs informally. "However, I have been watching you. I have a request."

Amanda crossed her arms. She had to be very careful not to let him control her, and yet not let him play her at the same time. She had to be forceful yet ambiguous.

"I thought it was an _offer_?" she said with some sass. This resulted in a giggle from Lady. The Silph Man looked at her tentatively, and she immediately stopped. His eyes moved back to Amanda.

"Yes," he said calmly as he tapped his finger together. "You're very right. It is as much as an offer as a request, as well as a call to action."

"Call to action?"

He nodded and rested his hands back on the arms of the chair. "I'm going to be quite frank with you, Amanda. There's something out there. Far beyond any space humanity has ever looked at, much less touched. And it's undeniably bent on our destruction. It has been before, and it is again now. If we do not act, everything will end on this very continent, in this very year."

He folded his hands on his lap. "Your research is the key to stopping it. While no one believes or has faith in what you're looking for, I do, and I believe that locating The Cartographer will help us stop it. But not for good. The Cartographer is but Step One."

Amanda scrunched her eyes shut. This guy knew about The Cartographer…either he really did want to use it to help save the world, or he wanted it all for himself. Either way, it really did exist and he really did want it.

"How can you aid my research?" she asked cautiously. The Silph Man smiled seeing as she was slowly but surely coming around.

"I can offer you the protection you need to finish your research. I can get you any and all clearance to any and all information. Also at my disposal are some of the smartest men and women this generation has produced." He opened his hands. "Anything you need or desire is entirely within reach."

Amanda could see no other option. From the start she had known that her research was something special. The Silph Man had all but confirmed it. As well as her dream.

She looked at the hologram and nodded. "I accept."

* * *

**Mystery...and MASS EFFECT QUOTES! What else does one need? **

**So, what was Will so afraid of in the beginning of his dream? Who was the mysterious entity warning him of interference? If The Silph Man wants to stop him, how dangerous is he truly? Who is Will going to talk to? Who called Will? All this and more next time, when a old friend briefly returns! *wink***

**Also as a little personal update: my new Pokemon Academy story, Eterna Academy, has just launched! Go check it out and submit some OCs! **

**Reader Question: What is your favorite Gen 6 Pokemon so far? Noivern is really cool. And I can't wait to see the evolution of Clauncher, since (if you didn't know already) Water is my favorite Type. Vivillion is awesome too. He looks like he just wants a hug!**

**So, review, ask questions for the characters, or for me, and I'll see you around!**


	66. Chapter 66: Wrong Place, Wrong Time

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Celebi had a very strange chat about Will's position in a near universal scale. Will had trouble coming to terms with this. Meanwhile, Steven Stone prepares for his arrival in Rustboro City when he finds out that Will got a message from his father telling him to meet him there. What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

Wind roaring past my head, I urged Grimlock to go as fast as he possibly could. Burgundy's arms were wrapped around my stomach to hold on. Had I not only one specific though on my mind, I might've felt weird about it.

Not now. Not after reading my father's message.

He was going to be in Rustboro City. Juno and I would finally have the answers we wanted.

"Will!" Burgundy called over the shrieking swirl of the wind. "Maybe we should slow down!"

Emile had secured another Fearow on which he and Wes rode. The two of them lagged hopelessly behind us; that bird couldn't dream of matching Grimlock's speed.

In my determined haste I nearly snapped at her, but I had the amount of control required to regulate my mood and respond decently.

"No…we're, uh…we're making good time…"

I reached back and brushed some of my hair away from my neck, as it was blowing in the breeze and tickling Burgundy's face. I just realized that it had grown significantly longer since I last had it cut, extending down about equal to halfway down my ear.

Magma, Aqua, and Plasma must have me really distracted. I'm beginning to lose sight of my appearance…

I prayed to Arceus that they didn't make me lose sight of myself.

…

A few Rustboro townsfolk shrieked and scattered as Grimlock slammed down onto the pavement in front of the Pokémon Center.

Without wasting a second I slid off of Grimlock like an expert equestrian. Still slightly dazed, Burgundy wobbled in her seat before tentatively sliding off and staggering to the nearest trash can.

"_Mi estomac…" _she groaned, leaning over and hurling into the trash can. Leaving her and Grimlock behind I stormed into the Center, narrowly avoiding a girl about my age and full on bumping into another man.

I shrugged it off and kept goin. "Watch it!" he called back. I paid him no mind.

My eyes, like crosshairs, bore down on the tall, slender man in the lab coat talking with the local Nurse Joy.

"Do you think you could-oh." My father turned around and saw me coming. At first he smiled, but then saw my angry frown.

"Will, it's so good to see you! I-" He opened his arms for a hug, but I stopped and crossed mine.

"Save it for when you're done with what you owe me, dad."

Dad bowed his head and sighed. "That's fair enough. Come."

He lead me over to a small half square of couches with a coffee table in the center. The universe had a strange sense of humor: that was the very arrangement that my friends and I always sat at.

"How has your Hoenn journey been so far, son?" my father asked as he settled down on a couch opposite to mine. The man was still trying to connect with me. I'll give him props for that.

"Very surprising, actually," I said in a very sardonic and disrespectful tone, "In fact, just a few weeks ago I found out that I had a _twin sister_, who through genetic tampering split the soul of an ancient outlaw in our subconscious."

My father turned pale. Paler than usual. "Sh-she's escaped?"

"Yup. I've been dealing with her for close to a year now, along with, oh, let's see." I began counting off fingers, "Outlaws, evil organizations, monsters, dragons-"

"Son, why not just ask for help?" my father asked in a soft voice.

"Help!?" I yelled, and stood up. I could feel the blood rushing towards my face. "Maybe it would've _helped _if you and mom had told me that I had a twin sister during the _fifteen years _I didn't know she even existed! Maybe it would've _helped _if you didn't do this stuff to us in the first place! I mean, it's not like we had a say in it or anything!"

All around us, people and Pokémon were turning their heads as I yelled mine off. I didn't care if I was causing a scene. In fact, I _hoped _that my father was getting embarrassed! That's the absolute least he should suffer!

And it was becoming quite evident that it was. My father looked down at his lap, unable to even meet my eyes. His lips quivered, looking for the words that weren't even there. A lone tear slid down his face.

"Son, I…I'm so sorry," he said in a near whisper, "I thought I was doing the right thing…I hoped someday you'd understand, and-"

I leaned down close to his face and growled, "Well, 'someday' just isn't today, is it?"

"I suppose not. Now sit down. I'll…I'll tell you the whole story."

And that's when the first earthquake hit.

…...

Genesis stood atop a hall bordering Rustboro City, the wind blowing through her wavy green hair. She admired the great city and all of its monuments to human ingenuity.

_Human…_The word rattled around in her head like a marble in a tin can. In other words, something that was very awkward in its current situation.

Neo walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, sis?"

"I've…I've just been thinking lately…"

"Uh-oh."

She playfully hit her brother, who smirked and pulled away. "_Anyway…_I've been thinking-" She shot him a look, "-About what we are."

Neo raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Genesis sat down on the grassy hill, hugging her knees to her chest and tucking her chin in between. "Neo, are…are we human?"

Neo considered his answer very carefully. Honestly, he didn't know. Did he want to? Of course he did. But this matter needed to be handled very carefully around his sister.

Although she had the outward appearance of a seventeen year-old, she was very childlike and innocent on the inside. Plus the fact that the two had been having strange nightmares…

He sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "Honestly? I have no idea."

"Then what's our-"

"You didn't let me finish," Neo chided his sister, pushing a finger up to her lips. "I was _going _to say while we may not be human…we're still people."

Curiosity burning in her green eyes, Genesis brushed a lock of emerald hair away from her face. "What do you mean."

"To some, Pokémon are people. Pokémon have opinions, emotions, likes and dislikes, and some people respect that. If they can respect monsters…they can respect us, right?"

Genesis sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of…"

"What?"

"Being a monster."

Both turned around at the sounds of Skye approaching. She tossed each of them their bags and they got to their feet.

"C'mon. We should get going."

All three of them jumped as a massive explosion rang out from Rustboro. The screams could be heard from that far away, and a pillar of smoke rose from the city.

"We should _really _get going!"

…

Hands in her pockets, Juno strolled down a small avenue, browsing the windows of clothing stores.

This would be her last day off before having to return to active duty, and by Arceus she was gonna spend it her way.

Do a little shopping, take a nap, visit a nice café she had scoped out. All of these things were on her list, and there was darn well little the universe could do to stop her.

Of course, while she was thinking this, a sudden chill swept through the streets. Juno shivered, as did all of the people around her.

And then the explosion rang out.

Juno groaned and picked herself up. "One day, that's all I ask…"

…

I had given the automatic door so little time to open that I nearly ran head on into it. Grimlock was screeching at the city skyline before us, with Wes, Emile and Burgundy staring apprehensively in the same direction.

"What's going on?" I asked, surprising them. Wes pointed at the skyscrapers.

I put a hand flat over my eyes to act as a visor and squinted. Coating the tops and creeping down the sides of buildings was…ice? How could that be possible? It's spring, plus it never snows in Hoenn!

And then I heard the muffled screech. "GYYYYYYYYYYYCE!"

A glowing blue stream of ice shot out at me. I dove at the last second, finding cover behind a bus stop. The rest of my compatriots did likewise.

Somewhat luckily, the blast struck the Pokémon Center doors, freezing them shut. _Good, _I thought, _That'll keep the people inside safe._

I cringed. It'd also keep my father in one place. There was absolutely no way I was letting these answers get away from me this time.

I reached my right hand into my jacket pocket and my left onto my belt, reaching for Torch's Pokéball.

Pulling out Dex, I cursed and remembered that I had made a few changes to my team before leaving. Torch had been exchanged for Vendetta to give him a little time in the light, and CJ had been sent back to Oak's ranch as a bit of a "Time-Out." Hopefully she'd have cooled down by the time I decided to retrieve her.

_If _I got that chance. These Regis were a real pain in my neck…

_Regis…_Quickly flipping my backpack off of my shoulders, I rummaged through my belongings inside, strewing some out onto the sidewalk until I came upon a specially marked Pokéball.

"Zip, get out here!"

I broke out in a cold sweat when the bright flash emanated from the Pokéball, fearing that Regice would see me, but then remembered it didn't matter since it could track me from across continents.

"A, Maker!" buzzed Zip excitedly. "Since I last saw you, it has been precisely-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Save it," I said quickly, desperately trying to shut the Magnemite up and cut to the chase. "Zip, I thought you said your program would keep them down for a few days."

I silently cursed myself. It _had _been a few days, almost a week in fact! But what Zip said next scared me even more.

"Maker, it appears a specialized signal is being broadcasted around the city to block out my signal. All Regis in the area would be free to roam about."

Well, Regirock was buried underneath that rubble still, and Registeel was apparently in Kanto, so that left only, if it wasn't obvious enough, Regice.

A less than brilliant plan formed in my head. Though it wasn't complex, it was all I had.

I leaned over the side of the bus stop to see Grimlock, holding his ground, still challenging Regice. Time to test his new listening skills…

I whistled. Grimlock immediately turned and tromped over to me. Not skipping a beat, I hopped onto his back and tapped him with my heel. Grimlock fanned out his wings and took off.

Burgundy looked up from her hiding place. "Will, what are you doing!?"

"Luring it out of the city!" I called down to her, "If I can manage to either take out whatever is generating this strange signal or lure Regice out of range, its goose is cooked! Since I don't know where the signal matrix is and Regice literally can't do anything but follow me, I'll go with the latter!"

I leaned forward. "Ready to kick some icy butt, boy?" I asked Grimlock. He grinned and nodded his head. "Good, use-"

The plan of attack had been to counter the Ice Beam that Regice had been charging up. Instead, it simply lowered its arm, turned, and began walking in another direction.

"Oh, so now its ignoring me! I swear, these things change the rules every single time I fight them! It's not like there's anyone else-"

I stopped mid-sentence, nearly choking on my tongue. "No…no, no, no. Zip, run a scan of the city. Are there any bio-signatures that match mine?"

Zip paused for a second, and then beeped. "Yes, in fact. One kilometer behind us and growing. Can it be? The original Maker!? Oh, I have so many things to report! I can't-"

"ZIP, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! RUN THE SCAN AGAIN! SEARCH FOR A DIFFERENT SIG!"

He ran the scan once more, and reported that there was in fact another. Zip then confirmed my fears. "Juno comma Top Ranger is in fact in the area. My hypothesis is that she grew closer to Regice than you, and it has now locked onto her."

"As if I didn't already have enough to deal with…"

Today was truly a bad day if I expected anything other than misfortune from the universe. Because as I urged Grimlock forward, I heard more screams and the sound of breaking glass.

At first I assumed it was the ice creeping through the city. That was in fact happening, but it wasn't the source of all the noise.

Swarming down several streets was an army of shady figures in a uniform I distinctly recognized. Lots of black and white, with blue headbands.

Team Aqua.

* * *

**I'm back! Didja miss me?**

**It's good to be back and writing again. Not that I wasn't, but I just felt like I needed a little break from writing for this story, which I had been doing nonstop for almost a year. PS was getting stale. Now, it's fresh in my mind and I'm ready to go.**

**Plus, on the subject of leaving, the majority of you visited my other works (which I am extremely grateful for and hope you still do) so it's not like I really went anywhere.**

**But, I just kinda missed this story in general. It's good to be back. Now you know what time it is...**

**Reader Question time! (I was gonna say something else ending in "Time" but I couldn't think of anything). What would you think of me doing a X and Y story somewhere down the road? I'd call it something along the lines of "Pokemon X and Y: Will's Adventure. Like all of my other stories, it would be in an AU. I'm already dreaming about the plot even though the source material isn't even complete yet...eh, dare to dream, people. So, tell me what you think, even lemmie know if you can think of a better name! Just want your opinions.**

**Powerful chapter, eh? Things really aren't going Will's way and I don't expect them to any time soon. Tune in next time to find out what happens next!**


	67. Chapter 67: City of Ice

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Celebi had a very strange chat about Will's position in a near universal scale. Will had trouble coming to terms with this. Meanwhile, Steven Stone prepares for his arrival in Rustboro City when he finds out that Will got a message from his father telling him to meet him there. What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

Wind roaring past my head, I urged Grimlock to go as fast as he possibly could. Burgundy's arms were wrapped around my stomach to hold on. Had I not only one specific though on my mind, I might've felt weird about it.

Not now. Not after reading my father's message.

He was going to be in Rustboro City. Juno and I would finally have the answers we wanted.

"Will!" Burgundy called over the shrieking swirl of the wind. "Maybe we should slow down!"

Emile had secured another Fearow on which he and Wes rode. The two of them lagged hopelessly behind us; that bird couldn't dream of matching Grimlock's speed.

In my determined haste I nearly snapped at her, but I had the amount of control required to regulate my mood and respond decently.

"No…we're, uh…we're making good time…"

I reached back and brushed some of my hair away from my neck, as it was blowing in the breeze and tickling Burgundy's face. I just realized that it had grown significantly longer since I last had it cut, extending down about equal to halfway down my ear.

Magma, Aqua, and Plasma must have me really distracted. I'm beginning to lose sight of my appearance…

I prayed to Arceus that they didn't make me lose sight of myself.

…

A few Rustboro townsfolk shrieked and scattered as Grimlock slammed down onto the pavement in front of the Pokémon Center.

Without wasting a second I slid off of Grimlock like an expert equestrian. Still slightly dazed, Burgundy wobbled in her seat before tentatively sliding off and staggering to the nearest trash can.

"_Mi estomac…" _she groaned, leaning over and hurling into the trash can. Leaving her and Grimlock behind I stormed into the Center, narrowly avoiding a girl about my age and full on bumping into another man.

I shrugged it off and kept goin. "Watch it!" he called back. I paid him no mind.

My eyes, like crosshairs, bore down on the tall, slender man in the lab coat talking with the local Nurse Joy.

"Do you think you could-oh." My father turned around and saw me coming. At first he smiled, but then saw my angry frown.

"Will, it's so good to see you! I-" He opened his arms for a hug, but I stopped and crossed mine.

"Save it for when you're done with what you owe me, dad."

Dad bowed his head and sighed. "That's fair enough. Come."

He lead me over to a small half square of couches with a coffee table in the center. The universe had a strange sense of humor: that was the very arrangement that my friends and I always sat at.

"How has your Hoenn journey been so far, son?" my father asked as he settled down on a couch opposite to mine. The man was still trying to connect with me. I'll give him props for that.

"Very surprising, actually," I said in a very sardonic and disrespectful tone, "In fact, just a few weeks ago I found out that I had a _twin sister_, who through genetic tampering split the soul of an ancient outlaw in our subconscious."

My father turned pale. Paler than usual. "Sh-she's escaped?"

"Yup. I've been dealing with her for close to a year now, along with, oh, let's see." I began counting off fingers, "Outlaws, evil organizations, monsters, dragons-"

"Son, why not just ask for help?" my father asked in a soft voice.

"Help!?" I yelled, and stood up. I could feel the blood rushing towards my face. "Maybe it would've _helped _if you and mom had told me that I had a twin sister during the _fifteen years _I didn't know she even existed! Maybe it would've _helped _if you didn't do this stuff to us in the first place! I mean, it's not like we had a say in it or anything!"

All around us, people and Pokémon were turning their heads as I yelled mine off. I didn't care if I was causing a scene. In fact, I _hoped _that my father was getting embarrassed! That's the absolute least he should suffer!

And it was becoming quite evident that it was. My father looked down at his lap, unable to even meet my eyes. His lips quivered, looking for the words that weren't even there. A lone tear slid down his face.

"Son, I…I'm so sorry," he said in a near whisper, "I thought I was doing the right thing…I hoped someday you'd understand, and-"

I leaned down close to his face and growled, "Well, 'someday' just isn't today, is it?"

"I suppose not. Now sit down. I'll…I'll tell you the whole story."

And that's when the first earthquake hit.

…...

Genesis stood atop a hall bordering Rustboro City, the wind blowing through her wavy green hair. She admired the great city and all of its monuments to human ingenuity.

_Human…_The word rattled around in her head like a marble in a tin can. In other words, something that was very awkward in its current situation.

Neo walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, sis?"

"I've…I've just been thinking lately…"

"Uh-oh."

She playfully hit her brother, who smirked and pulled away. "_Anyway…_I've been thinking-" She shot him a look, "-About what we are."

Neo raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Genesis sat down on the grassy hill, hugging her knees to her chest and tucking her chin in between. "Neo, are…are we human?"

Neo considered his answer very carefully. Honestly, he didn't know. Did he want to? Of course he did. But this matter needed to be handled very carefully around his sister.

Although she had the outward appearance of a seventeen year-old, she was very childlike and innocent on the inside. Plus the fact that the two had been having strange nightmares…

He sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "Honestly? I have no idea."

"Then what's our-"

"You didn't let me finish," Neo chided his sister, pushing a finger up to her lips. "I was _going _to say while we may not be human…we're still people."

Curiosity burning in her green eyes, Genesis brushed a lock of emerald hair away from her face. "What do you mean."

"To some, Pokémon are people. Pokémon have opinions, emotions, likes and dislikes, and some people respect that. If they can respect monsters…they can respect us, right?"

Genesis sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of…"

"What?"

"Being a monster."

Both turned around at the sounds of Skye approaching. She tossed each of them their bags and they got to their feet.

"C'mon. We should get going."

All three of them jumped as a massive explosion rang out from Rustboro. The screams could be heard from that far away, and a pillar of smoke rose from the city.

"We should _really _get going!"

…

Hands in her pockets, Juno strolled down a small avenue, browsing the windows of clothing stores.

This would be her last day off before having to return to active duty, and by Arceus she was gonna spend it her way.

Do a little shopping, take a nap, visit a nice café she had scoped out. All of these things were on her list, and there was darn well little the universe could do to stop her.

Of course, while she was thinking this, a sudden chill swept through the streets. Juno shivered, as did all of the people around her.

And then the explosion rang out.

Juno groaned and picked herself up. "One day, that's all I ask…"

…

I had given the automatic door so little time to open that I nearly ran head on into it. Grimlock was screeching at the city skyline before us, with Wes, Emile and Burgundy staring apprehensively in the same direction.

"What's going on?" I asked, surprising them. Wes pointed at the skyscrapers.

I put a hand flat over my eyes to act as a visor and squinted. Coating the tops and creeping down the sides of buildings was…ice? How could that be possible? It's spring, plus it never snows in Hoenn!

And then I heard the muffled screech. "GYYYYYYYYYYYCE!"

A glowing blue stream of ice shot out at me. I dove at the last second, finding cover behind a bus stop. The rest of my compatriots did likewise.

Somewhat luckily, the blast struck the Pokémon Center doors, freezing them shut. _Good, _I thought, _That'll keep the people inside safe._

I cringed. It'd also keep my father in one place. There was absolutely no way I was letting these answers get away from me this time.

I reached my right hand into my jacket pocket and my left onto my belt, reaching for Torch's Pokéball.

Pulling out Dex, I cursed and remembered that I had made a few changes to my team before leaving. Torch had been exchanged for Vendetta to give him a little time in the light, and CJ had been sent back to Oak's ranch as a bit of a "Time-Out." Hopefully she'd have cooled down by the time I decided to retrieve her.

_If _I got that chance. These Regis were a real pain in my neck…

_Regis…_Quickly flipping my backpack off of my shoulders, I rummaged through my belongings inside, strewing some out onto the sidewalk until I came upon a specially marked Pokéball.

"Zip, get out here!"

I broke out in a cold sweat when the bright flash emanated from the Pokéball, fearing that Regice would see me, but then remembered it didn't matter since it could track me from across continents.

"A, Maker!" buzzed Zip excitedly. "Since I last saw you, it has been precisely-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Save it," I said quickly, desperately trying to shut the Magnemite up and cut to the chase. "Zip, I thought you said your program would keep them down for a few days."

I silently cursed myself. It _had _been a few days, almost a week in fact! But what Zip said next scared me even more.

"Maker, it appears a specialized signal is being broadcasted around the city to block out my signal. All Regis in the area would be free to roam about."

Well, Regirock was buried underneath that rubble still, and Registeel was apparently in Kanto, so that left only, if it wasn't obvious enough, Regice.

A less than brilliant plan formed in my head. Though it wasn't complex, it was all I had.

I leaned over the side of the bus stop to see Grimlock, holding his ground, still challenging Regice. Time to test his new listening skills…

I whistled. Grimlock immediately turned and tromped over to me. Not skipping a beat, I hopped onto his back and tapped him with my heel. Grimlock fanned out his wings and took off.

Burgundy looked up from her hiding place. "Will, what are you doing!?"

"Luring it out of the city!" I called down to her, "If I can manage to either take out whatever is generating this strange signal or lure Regice out of range, its goose is cooked! Since I don't know where the signal matrix is and Regice literally can't do anything but follow me, I'll go with the latter!"

I leaned forward. "Ready to kick some icy butt, boy?" I asked Grimlock. He grinned and nodded his head. "Good, use-"

The plan of attack had been to counter the Ice Beam that Regice had been charging up. Instead, it simply lowered its arm, turned, and began walking in another direction.

"Oh, so now its ignoring me! I swear, these things change the rules every single time I fight them! It's not like there's anyone else-"

I stopped mid-sentence, nearly choking on my tongue. "No…no, no, no. Zip, run a scan of the city. Are there any bio-signatures that match mine?"

Zip paused for a second, and then beeped. "Yes, in fact. One kilometer behind us and growing. Can it be? The original Maker!? Oh, I have so many things to report! I can't-"

"ZIP, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! RUN THE SCAN AGAIN! SEARCH FOR A DIFFERENT SIG!"

He ran the scan once more, and reported that there was in fact another. Zip then confirmed my fears. "Juno comma Top Ranger is in fact in the area. My hypothesis is that she grew closer to Regice than you, and it has now locked onto her."

"As if I didn't already have enough to deal with…"

Today was truly a bad day if I expected anything other than misfortune from the universe. Because as I urged Grimlock forward, I heard more screams and the sound of breaking glass.

At first I assumed it was the ice creeping through the city. That was in fact happening, but it wasn't the source of all the noise.

Swarming down several streets was an army of shady figures in a uniform I distinctly recognized. Lots of black and white, with blue headbands.

Team Aqua.

* * *

**I'm back! Didja miss me?**

**It's good to be back and writing again. Not that I wasn't, but I just felt like I needed a little break from writing for this story, which I had been doing nonstop for almost a year. PS was getting stale. Now, it's fresh in my mind and I'm ready to go.**

**Plus, on the subject of leaving, the majority of you visited my other works (which I am extremely grateful for and hope you still do) so it's not like I really went anywhere.**

**But, I just kinda missed this story in general. It's good to be back. Now you know what time it is...**

**Reader Question time! (I was gonna say something else ending in "Time" but I couldn't think of anything). What would you think of me doing a X and Y story somewhere down the road? I'd call it something along the lines of "Pokemon X and Y: Will's Adventure. Like all of my other stories, it would be in an AU. I'm already dreaming about the plot even though the source material isn't even complete yet...eh, dare to dream, people. So, tell me what you think, even lemmie know if you can think of a better name! Just want your opinions.**

**Powerful chapter, eh? Things really aren't going Will's way and I don't expect them to any time soon. Tune in next time to find out what happens next!**


	68. Chapter 68: Aqua Attacks!

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will and Co. arrived in Rustboro, expecting answers from Cassius. Though their "reunion" was cut short not only by the attacking Regice, but also Team Aqua. What is behind the appearance of both? Find out now!**

* * *

**3rd Person**

Wes dove for cover behind the Pokémon Center, the Bubblebeam attack soaring right over his head. The boy landed hard on his knee, and his phone skittered out of his pocket.

Almost immediately after Will had left, the Pokémon Center had been assaulted by Team Aqua. And since the main entrance was frozen over and the power was knocked out, everyone inside was trapped.

Leaving Wes, Burgundy and Emile as its sole defenders. Wes leaned up against the Pokémon Center, clutching his knee as a 64-bit version of the Ghostbusters theme began playing from his phone; Will's special call tone.

A look of disdain on her face, Burgundy peeked out from behind the trash can. "Really, Wes? Ghostbusters?"

"I thought it was clever!" said Wes with a wry grin. "You know, since Will and Aria…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I get it! Just don't let him hear that! I'll cover you. Get it." Burgundy unclipped to Pokéballs and flicked them into the air. "Plusle, Minun, take the stage _s'il vous plait!_"

The two Cheerleader Pokémon landed atop the trash can, cheeks sparking. There was no nonsense right now: strictly business.

"Thundershock!" commanded Burgundy. In unison, Plusle and Minun fired their attacks, effectively doubling the strength. The trio of Aquas and their Pokémon scattered, allotting Wes the time he needed to scoop up his Pokégear, turn it on and retreat back to cover.

"Yeah," he answered casually.

"Wes, it's me," said Will, if it wasn't already obvious enough. "Regice isn't our only problem. Team Aqua is here too."

"Found that out already, buddy. They're after the Pokémon Center," said Wes, poking his head around the corner. The Aquas from before were regrouping, and even more were reinforcing their ranks. "Must wanna nab some Pokémon during the chaos."

"Yeah, but how would they know _exactly _when this thing was gonna go down?"

"Good point."

Will was silent for a moment, the only sound being the wind roaring. "I see two possibilities. Three maybe, since I'm sure the universe hates me today. The 'out-the-door one' is that this is a coincidence, which doesn't help us. The other two likely ones are that they caused it, or they were tipped off by whoever did."

"Yeah, but who would cause it?"

Will was silent for another moment. "I know who."

With a beep, he hung up.

…

**1****st**** Person**

I didn't put down my phone when I hung up from my call to Wes. I had another one to make.

My thumb flew to my twin sister's speed dial. In seconds she picked up.

"Yeah, what is it?" she snapped into her Fine Sytler's comm unit. This caused her voice to be muffled and crackly. "Kinda in the middle of something!"

"I know. I'm flying overhead right now. I was on my way, but now I'm breaking off. Can you handle Regice?"

"WHADDYA ME BREAKING OFF!? I NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW!" I winced and held the phone away from my ear, my sister's barking stinging my eardrums.

Trying to keep my already fragile cool, I returned the comment. "Listen, I can stop Regice. Just deal with it for a few minutes."

She sighed. "Fine, I-wait, did you say Regice?"

"Yes…"I said, shivering. Chilly as it was, this was something else creeping down my spine.

Fear.

Juno swore. "I'm neck deep in Aqua grunts right now! If another one of them golem thingies is comin' my way, I'm gonna have to hike up my skirt and dig deep here."

"You're wearing a skirt right now?" I asked with a snicker.

"IT'S AN EXPRESSION!"

There was a _WHACK _and then a grunt, signalizing that one had been neutralized by one of my sister's kicks. Trust me, those things hurt. I unfortunately felt a few when we were dating.

Arceus, it feels so weird to say that.

"Alright. Good luck out there, little sis."

"Ugh, IT WAS BY A COUPLE MINUTES, OKAY! I-"

I hung up there and cut her off. Better to make her angry right now. Sure, I'd suffer the consequences later, but right now she'd be able to direct her fury at Team Aqua and Regice.

Spurring Grimlock once again, we altered our course and headed for Devon Corp. HQ.

…

"My men are closing in on the Pokémon Center," said the hologram of Archie with a confident air in his gruff undertone. "We know Grey is inside, but we're havin' a little trouble gettin' in. Most of the exits are sealed, and a couple of Trainers are entrenched outside. They ain't givin an inch."

Steven Stone leaned back and stroked his chin. He sat in his great leather chair, receiving a status update from Archie, with whom he had set up the whole charade to further the advance of Team Aqua.

And his own profits. Steven felt giddy as a boy on Christmas day at the thought of what would come next. Maxie of Team Magma would hear of Team Aqua's bold strike, and from some…anonymous source…he would also be tipped off about the capture of Cassius Grey.

Determined to drive himself further than Archie in the race to win the Goliath War, as Steven had nicknamed it, Maxie would pour more money and trust into Steven, to which he would simply come back by balancing the scale.

Team Aqua would have an unfortunate mishap, oh, a machine malfunction or maybe even an escaped prisoner…to which Team Magma would respond by taking advantage of the situation and buying up more tech from Steven to squash Team Aqua.

Archie would then try to balance the scale, effectively balancing Steven's bank account, and the cycle would repeat.

Steven Stone was a businessman to his core. His evil, corrupted core.

There was a dual beep from the sensory board on his desk. Steven peered at the circular radar. A small red blip had appeared and was rapidly approaching.

William Grey.

Steven couldn't help but chuckle and clap his hands together. "The guest of honor approaches…"

…

"Grim, get me in close!"

Grimlock blade wings fluttered meticulously as he inched closer and closer to the highest level of the Devon Crop. HQ.

Sure enough, on our approach we had seen the signal matrix towering over us. A very ugly addition to the sky scraped in more way than one.

It was like a giant windmill, except instead of blade it had a circular chamber on to, where arms on an axis spun around and around like one of those astronaut training devices. Green energy glowed out from there like a beacon.

Destroying it would turn Regice into a ten ton paperweight. At least for the remaining duration of Zip's Prototype Kill Code.

Careful not to slip on the now icy surface of Grimlock's metal body, I rose to my feet, crouched and prepared to jump. Grimlock brought us ever closer.

His fluttering wings clipped the building. There was a sound like a rock entering a lawnmower, and Grimlock shook.

I teetered, fear cruising through my bloodstream, doing its darndest to make its way to my brain and give me a lifelong fear of heights. And it was doing pretty good.

At the last second, Zip came to the rescue. Just as I was about to fall a great many stories to my death, Zip darted in front of me and pushed against my chest, allotting me the balance needed to right myself.

"Phew, thanks buddy. You're a lifesaver."

"I live to server, Maker."

Leaning down, I patted Grimlock. "Easy does it, buddy. One more time; I know you can do it."

My Skarmory nodded, and tried one last time to get me as close as possible. As his wing blades grew ever nearer, I held my breath and crossed my fingers.

Grimlock stopped the perfect distance from my destination. I waved over my shoulder and flicked my hand towards the window.

"Zip, window."

Zip darted in front of me, eye aglow. A Thunderbolt shot from his optical, shattering the glass pane. I hoped it was expensive to replace.

Hopping inside, I felt glass crunching under my sneakers. Since I wasn't wearing boots I made sure to clear the shards as quickly as possible, just to make sure one didn't sliver its way into my foot somehow.

Zip floated in beside me and Grimlock fluttered back to a safer distance. "Once I give the signal, you blow the tower, alright? No sooner, no later."

Grimlock nodded and took off. Aside from the crunching of glass under my shoes, everything was rather…quiet. No telephones ringing, no keyboards tapping, no people talking.

Nothing. Just the sound of the heater blowing through the vents.

_Way to go, Steven_, I though sarcastically, _You gave away the fact that you know the whole darn city was gonna freeze over. It's time I ended this._

I took off in the direction of the executive office.

But not before doubling back and getting a drink of water from the water cooler. I was parched, okay?

…

I kicked open the large oak doors and took the left flank of the room, Zip taking the right with magnets poised like firearms.

There was no one in here. Well, except for the boss himself. At the moment, his chair was facing the window. Typical.

Taking one more sip of the water from the plastic cup, I crumpled it up and threw it on the ground.

Steven chuckled. "Did you run all the way here drinking that?"

"Nah. I just kinda wanna to throw garbage on your floor."

"Typical."

"Dude, that's so funny. _I _was just thinking that!"

"Spare me the sarcastic remarks," sighed Steven.

I took a step forward. "Oh, what's the matter, Scumdog Millionaire? Already used all of your good ones? And we've talked like, what, twice?"

Steven "tsk tsk tsk"d. "Stand here and spit insults at me all you want. I may be fresh out, but I know someone who's not. You may have heard of him. His name is Regice. And he'll be here any minute."

"First of all, it's after my sister right now, so it's just you and me, buddy. Second, forget what I just said."

I stuck my index and middle fingers together and stuck them into my mouth, letting out a shrill wolf whistle.

High above, Grimlock circled around from his current flight path and switched to and inbound vector. A golden beam of energy began charging in his mouth.

Grimlock veered to the left and broke off, launching the Hyper Beam. It struck the tower like a missile and destroyed it.

The room we were standing in shook. Several frames fell off the wall, and a pencil cup on Steven's desk jittered.

Steven simply chuckled. His chair turned around and I gasped.

Sitting in the executive seat was not Steven, but a hologram of him.

He wasn't even here.

"Oh, William," he chided whilst shaking his head, "I'm afraid that I'm not even the worst thing that you didn't see."

Behind him, the air visible through his window began to shimmer. A long, elegant airship began to uncloak.

Sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing as it was, it was brimming with cannons and weapons. Which, even in here, I could hear humming to life.

"The tower was linked to the cloaking device…"I mumbled to myself in disbelief. Steven shrugged.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. I mean, your original hypothesis was correct. I was simply smarter than you. Oh well, live and learn."

Steven grinned wolfishly. "Oh my. It seems I've made a situational pun."

His image flickered and vanished, just as the guns of his ship came to life.

…

Burgundy stumbled as a great boom shook the city. Ina daze she looked up to see the massive dreadnaught firing on pinnacle of Devon Corp. HQ.

She knew immediately what that meant.

"No…" she said under her breath. She didn't want to believe it, but she knew it to be true.

Will had survived plenty of things in the past, but he wasn't invincible. A building crumbling while being pounded by dreadnaught fire couldn't possibly be survived.

William Grey was most likely dead.

* * *

**Well, these chapters are certainly getting darker. Is Will going to pull through? How will the attack on Rustboro end? Find out net time!**

**Big news on X and Y! First off, three new Pokemon: Meekuru, the pre-evolution of Gogoat (I'm not usually a big sucker for cuteness, but I couldn't help but go 'Awwww!" when I saw him) Horubii, who looks like the rabbit from Super Mario Galaxy, and Dedenne, a little chubby Raichu**

**Also (my favorite news) Pokemon MEGA EVOLUTIONS have been announced. That new form of Mewtwo we've seen has been its Mega Evolution. We've also been shown Mega forms of Blaziken, Absol, Lucario, Ampharos, and Mawhile, which all look AWESOME! If you haven't seen em, you should definitely look them up.**

**Which brings up the Reader QuestionL: while it remains to be seen how many Pokemon (if not all evolutionary lines) get Mega Forms, what Pokemon do you wanna see most with a new form? For me, I think you should all know my answer.**

**Cassius: Answer after you review!**

**Will: Who are YOU to be talking about answers right now?**

**Cassius:...**


	69. Chapter 69: Hook, Line-

**Previously on Revelations:**

**Will stormed Devon HQ to destroy the signal matrix interfering with Zip's Kill Code. He had a short exchange with Steven, who turned out to not even be there, but aboard his cloaked airship. Which was in fact linked to the matrix, so when Will blew it up...surprise! The ship, ****_Implacable_****, then began firing on the tower with Will still inside, leaving Burgundy and the rest to watch as they continue to defend the Pokemon Center. What will happen next? Find out now!**

* * *

Burgundy's mouth grew dry as she stared up at Devon Corp. HQ in shock and horror. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she watched the top of the tower light up like a candle as the dreadnaught sent three more cannon shots into the penthouse, and then turned to begin its exit.

Fire and mortar rained down from the smoking skyscraper, the screams of those running bellow audible from her current distance.

Before her eyes flashed the image of a confident Trainer and his Butterfree walking into the Pewter City Pokémon Center. Being evaluated for the first time. Not liking the results and battling out back.

Losing to that boy. Crying for the rest of the night until he came and comforted her. Promised to take her on an adventure and to redeem what she had lost, expecting nothing in return.

Going through trials and tribulations, in which their friendship and skills to survive were put to the test day in and day out. Things happened to him. Things that would break a normal peron.

That would break her. Yet Will managed to wake up every day, ready and willing to lead his merry band of misfits through the darkness.

Somewhere deep inside, he even managed to find a smile. No matter what was going on. Even if it wasn't okay, he wanted everyone else to know it was.

And now he was gone. He had done so little and suffered so much. The universe truly did hate him today. The candle that Devon HQ now resembled also resembled his life.

Bright, glowing, and snuffed out in an instant.

Images and scenes from their yearlong crusade across the world flashed through her head. The good and the bad. The whole shebang. Showing her a good time. Making her laugh. Promising to make everything okay. Saving her life.

"Burgundy, look out."

The connaisseuse nearly lost it then. _I'm already forgetting his voice…_The outburst had sounded nothing like Will.

"Burgundy, look out!" Wes tackled her to the ground. The Mightyena leapt over the two of them and flipped around, teeth bared.

Wes helped Burgundy to her feet, slowly backing the two of them away from the snarling wolf Pokémon.

"You alright?" asked Wes in a shaky tone of voice. He had obviously seen the tower as well.

Burgundy answered by thrusting her remaining three Pokémon into the battle, facing down the horde of Aquas still approaching.

"_Pas de pitié_! It's Vengeance Time!" The fire in Burgundy was different than it had ever been before. Before it was…and remember, this is her admitting it,…impulsive, arrogant, impudent, and ambitious.

Now it was the desire for blood. Blood returned for blood spilled.

The Aquas and their Pokémon hesitated, not attacking again. Burgundy stood, fists clenched, nostrils flaring in front of the frozen Pokémon Center door.

"If you want these Pokémon, you'll have to go through me!" she shrieked, slashing her arm through the air like a sword. All of her Pokémon concurred.

Emile cracked his knuckles and joined her. "And me."

"Us too," said Wes, looking equally as angry as Burgundy. His brown eyes bruned with fury over the death of his best friend.

"Nub nub!" Swinub scurried out from in between Wes's legs and came to the head of the defenders, nostrils puffing and growling.

The Aquas and their Pokémon all laughed. "Aw, isn't that cute!?"

Swinub growled and began to strain. Then it began to grow. What Swinub once was became a massive lump of meat and fur, with a snot and two tusks protruding from the front.

Possibly one of the most appropriately named Pokémon ever, Piloswine.

Team Aqua rethought their choice of entertainment and shifted nervously as Piloswine pawed the ground.

A shrill cackled sent a shiver down their spines, and Shelly shoved her way through the knot. Hands on her shapely hips, the Team Aqua admin tossed her hair and laughed yet again.

"You kids are so cute. Now why not just move aside and let the adults talk, eh? Just drop your Pokéballs and any other weapons you may have, and we can all walk away from this."

Burgundy's eyes darted to Emile, and then to Wes, testing to see if either of them objected to the answer she was about to give. They didn't.

"Come and take them," she growled. Shelly simply shrugged.

"If that's the way it has to be." She snapped a gloved finger and two Mightyena came snarling to her side. The rest of her posse clutched their Pokéballs and edged forward. "Guess we have to take Doctor Grey the hard way…"

"You'll never…wait, you're here for Will's dad?" asked Wes, puzzled. He had been udner the impression that this was an attempt to jack some Pokémon from the center…

Shelly pointed up to the dreadnaught. They glowing blue fire of its rear thrusters was slowly disappearing in the blanket of fog now covering the city.

"She turns really fast. _Implacable _is one of the fastest ships I've ever seen." Her hand hovered over a walkie-talkie strapped to her hip. "One little call and she blows to Pokémon Center to oblivion."

All three of them gasped at once. Their Pokémon seemed startled too. Emile shook his head.

"That's…that's immoral! These people and Pokémon have nothing to do with us! There are innocent people in there! I even saw a few infants! You would end their lives just because!?"

"Plus, you wouldn't get what you came for," sassed Burgundy, crossing her arms. "You'd be the losers here."

Shelly smiled and shook her head. "I doubt that." The redhead pointed behind Burgundy. Standing there in front of the Pokémon Center was Cassius Grey.

Tinkling shards of broken glass and ice still trickled down from the hole that the Rhyhorn standing next to Cassius had made. The blunt beast stared up at Shelly with gentle, bovine eyes.

"She's right, kids. No need for any more suffering on my behalf." Ashamed, he looked down at his feet. "There's already been enough of that…now let me through, kids."

Wes spun on his heel and stared Cassius down. His hissed, "Listen, we can't give these guys what they want! They arranged this! All of this! Your only son is _dead_ because of them!"

Cassius' already sunken eyes sunk even deeper. The grief seemed to add a thousand years' worth of age and despair to his face.

"No…William is dead because of me. I won't allow that to happen to anyone else. Now let me through."

"Do as he sa-ays," said Shelly in a singsong voice. Her hands hovered over the communicator, fingers flicking.

For a brief moment, both sides stood completely still. Tension crackled in the air. The desolate howl of the icy wind had no power of the individual pins that could be no problem be heard dropping.

Wes sent a sideways glance back into the Pokémon Center. A small group of people and Pokémon had gathered by the door to watch the action go down.

There were kids, teenagers, adults, Pokémon of all shapes and sizes. Wes bit his lip: Emile had been right. Swaddled in a pink bundle was a baby, pressed dearly against her mother's chest.

Wes relented and stepped out of the way. He knew he was doing the best thing, but he still wasn't very proud of himself.

Doctor Grey nodded thankfully and made his way towards Shelly. Still no sound penetrated the morbid exchange, only the crunch of Cassius' boots on the frost and the howling winds.

Ryhorn let out a tormented groan as his master held out his hands to be bound by a burly Aqua Grunt.

Cassius swiveled his head back around and smiled. "Don't worry, Rex. We'll see each other again."

"Hm, actually, Team Aqua has no intention of capturing Rock-Types," chortled Shelly with a wink, diminishing Grey's optimism.

The burly grunt gave him a shove, and the Aquas began to turn and leave.

Wes and Emile shook with rage, unable to speak on behalf of their inability to do anything. Burgundy shook as well, but not with fury. Rex laid down moaning, pawing at his snout.

Tears slowly fell down her face. Whimpering, Burgundy fell to the ground, keeping herself up with both hands. In mere minutes, the usually boisterous Connaisseuse had been struck down off of her high horse.

Her life had taken a turn for the worse in a blink.

Wes knelt down and put an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, it's gonna-"

"No Wes, it's not," she whimpered. A delicate fist slammed into the ground, leaving a few weak cracks and several specks of blood.

Wes didn't go back in to try and help once again. He knew how close she and Will had been. The special relationship they had shared. The two had met weeks before he had even come into the mix.

But nothing at all was not better than the alternative, so Wes decided to speak. Before he could though, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

He was definitely not in the mood to talk. Wes reached into his pocket, jammed his thumb down on what he had thought to be the ignore button, and tossed it on the ground.

Wes patted Burgundy on the back and opened his mouth to speak as a crackled voice came through Wes's phone.

There were two raspy coughs, and then familiar voice. "Wes, you there buddy?"

The professor in training's heart nearly stopped. He scrambled for the phone, only to slip on the ice and fall flat on his belly. Emile picked up the phone.

"It's Emile. Is that you, Will?"

"Yeah," he replied less than happily, as if being alive was a hassle. At this point, Emile probably couldn't blame him for that. "Yeah, I'm still kickin'. Gonna need a bigger penthouse than that to kill me."

Emile felt a mighty force of pressure on his throat, and he was shoved back onto the ice. Burgundy caught the phone out of midair. She looked like a gorgon: nostrils flaring, hair in a mess, eyes bulging, face red, huffing and puffing.

"WILLIAM GREY, HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE THE GALL TO MAKE JOKES AT A TIME LIKE THIS!? HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE JUST PUT ME THROUGH!?"

Emile sat up and rubbed his head. He suspected that if Will didn't lose any eyes in that attack, he'd be rolling them.

"Sorry. My bad. Guess _I _wouldn't know anything about pain. Now if you could find the time, I'd really appreciate a little help cheating death again."

…

I checked my phone's connection. The call had been dropped. Well, I guess you can't really blame your service provider when you're trapped under rubble.

Rubbing my aching head, I tried to take inventory of the situation. Steven isn't really trying to hide the whole "bad guy" thing anymore. Though I wouldn't be surprised if he yanks something out of his rear to try and make the public believe otherwise.

This has to mean he's in contact with Team Aqua. This whole thing was too perfect to just be a coincidence. Archie gets some Pokémon and supplies while Steven profits off the whole thing.

And not for nothing, but he'd probably benefit off of the reconstruction efforts once Team Aqua had their fun. Filthy pirate…

And now that the matrix was knocked out, Juno and I were safe for a bit longer. But along with all the other stuff, that raised another question.

How did Steven know about the Regis, that they were hunting me, _and _that Zip's signal was nulling them?

_Zip!_ I shot to my feet and was rewarded with a sharp pang of pain from my left knee. Gritting my teeth, I sat back down to check the damage. I rolled up the leg of my jeans and checked it out.

_Oh, that's nasty…_I had to look away. I'm not a very squeamish person, but this wound completely grossed me out. My bag was left with the others, leaving me with only my Pokémon, my phone, Dex, and my wits. This meant that I had no access to my med kit, and therefore no antibiotics.

I searched the room for an improvised bandage.

Marble and stone slabs blocked off both the door and the exits. Steven's desk had not been touched by anything rather than a large boulder that had crushed it in half.

I spotted a fine tailored suit on the back of his chair and decided to spite him one last time before I planned my master escaped plan.

Hobbling over to the desk, I used the corner sticking up in the air as balance while I reached over and grabbed the coat.

One of the sleeves with ripped off and wrapped around my knee. A red-black stain already began to spread on the material. I dropped my pant leg and further assessed my position.

_I could whistle for Grimlock to blast me out of here…no, the rubble would just come down on me. New plan…_

Luckily people with personal memory units don't need plans. A flickering hiss sounded from behind me. On one of the rocks, a molten orange circle was being drawn from the other side.

The circular carving dropped off, and Zip flew through his improvised hole. He bobbed up and down jubilantly upon seeing me okay.

"Oh, Maker, you had me so worried! My emotional capacitors could barely function! Did they hurt you, Maker? Because I could easily hunt them down and melt their larynxes with my-"

I couldn't help but smile at my magnetic minions'…uh, let's call it devotion. "No, Zip, no disintegration. Let's just get outta here."

"Of course, Maker. Brilliant idea." Zip began to head back to his hole, but then noticed something near my feet. His drifted down to the wreckage of Steven's desk.

Amidst a pile of woodchips, pencils, and other office supplies was a disk. Perfectly preserved without a scratch on it.

I bent over and picked it up. "Interesting…I think I'll bring this little souvenir with us."

"A fantastic idea, Maker."

With Zip to support me, I limped back to the hole he had made in the rocks and crawled through.

We made our way down the ruined hall to Grimlock, who was preening his feathers near a large and smoldering hole in the wall. He didn't seem to fazed at the death of his master…

Though at the sight of me he seemed to perk up.. His wings fluttered excitedly and he screeched.

I patted his metal skin. "Good to see you too, pal. I-"

My phone began to vibrate. I guess I had forgotten to re-check for a signal once Zip and I had escaped my tomb. It was Burgundy. Under the indicator was a notice that I had missed seven calls from her.

"Hello? Sorry, my connection dropped. I escaped though. What's up?"

"They're getting away with her, and they're about to fly near Devon HQ! You have to stop them!"

"Them who?"

"The people who took your father and sister!"

I felt like my body had just been struck by lightning. I clutched the phone tighter and screamed into it, "Don't you think that would've been useful information to tell me before!?"

"Yes, and we thought we _had _told you, but apparently the call dropped. Team Aqua didn't come to the Pokémon Center for Pokémon. They were there for your father. Don't know why yet. Right after that we got a distress call from Juno. We were confused why she was in trouble, because Regice had been neutralized, but the last word she said before the transmission cut was-"

"What!? What was it!?"

"Aqua."

I slammed the phone shut and jammed it into my pocket. If today was a person, I'd kill them. In fact, I wish that the Today Person couldn't stay dead so I could do it over and over again.

Just as I hopped up onto Grimlock, the helicopter in question soared by. It's cylindrical turbines were pointed diagonally, and it was getting away fast.

"Now you listen and you listen well," I growled into Grimlock's ear as I finished mounting up. "I've had a garbage day already. I've had to face my lying father, been lied to, hunted, betrayed, and now this. Let's not slip up, okay?"

Grimlock nodded and took off without a second thought in pursuit of the helicopter we would never catch.

"Maker, I-oh." Zip stopped at the hole in the building and watched us zoom off into the distance.

Zip turned away and tranquilly made his way back down the hallway leading to Steven's office. "That is fine, Maker. Good luck in your pursuit. In the meantime, I will scavenge whatever viable material from these offices to help our efforts. Oh, I am sure you will-"

A shadow fell over Zip, and before her was able to react, five needle like claws dug into his round metal body. Electricity flared all over the Magnemite and he collapsed.

The claws retreated back into the metal gloves of the person wearing them. He or she wore a technological suit made of rusty, scavenged material.

They picked up the deactivated body of Zip and examined him. They then simply placed him in the metal pack attached to their back, and leapt back into the shadows to scavenge whatever else they could find.

* * *

**The simple fact that Will's day keeps changing from good to worse alone is making him dizzy, let alone the stuff that's actually happening. What does Team Aqua want with Cassius and Juno? Is Will going to reach them in time? Who is this mysterious scavenger that has taken Zip? Find out next time!**

**So I've been asked why chapters have been a bit shorter lately. Well, I'm juggling three stories right now, and this is a bit easier than jamming 3k and upwards of words into a chapter. So, sorry if its disappointing, but it'll help updates go faster, and it'll be easier on me. I like to write: I don't want it to turn into a chore.**

**Info on Mega Ampharos, Mawile and Absol has been revealed, so check that out. Also, Mega Kangaskahn has also been unveiled, and has a really cool ability. I advise you give it a little look-see.**

**I have a kind of important Reader Question today. How can I improve my writing? Is there anything I can do to make my chapters better? Anything you've noticed. I don't wanna make you guys wait a long time for garbage writing, after all. Give me a little constructive criticism (though there is a difference between that and flame. Keep that in mind).**

**Review, and let me know. Bye!**


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